


The Devil Raises Hell

by jongnugget



Series: The Devil Wears Gucci [3]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Comedy, Established Relationship, Family, Fluff, M/M, Parenthood, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:21:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 27,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26290312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jongnugget/pseuds/jongnugget
Summary: Anyone can be a father, but it takes patience and devotion to be a dad.
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai
Series: The Devil Wears Gucci [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1393369
Comments: 71
Kudos: 361





	1. Intro.

Jongin was giddy.

For the entire flight back home, he did not stop smiling. Not even when they entered the car that was waiting to drive them back home, not even when they got in the elevator with their luggage.

In fact, his smile only seemed to widen when he left everything by the door and didn’t even bother removing his shoes before diving forward to open his laptop on the coffee table in the living room.

Kyungsoo’s heart was melting at just the sight of seeing Jongin this excited. He left his bag on top of the large suitcase and kicked his shoes off.

“What are you doing?” he asked, the smirk pulling on his own lips as he crossed the living room. He poured himself a glass of water and leaned on the kitchen counter, throwing a curious look towards his suddenly very occupied husband. Jongin’s fingers were quick as he furiously typed something on his laptop, before eventually looking up to him.

The smile he shone in his direction was priceless.

“I’m about to get us a kid.”

Kyungsoo almost choked on the water he was drinking.

He needed roughly two seconds to process that, before the scoff left his lips.

“You can’t just _get_ us a kid. What is this, online shopping? A child is not something you can just…get.”

Jongin rolled his eyes.

“I _know_ that. I meant,” Jongin opened his arms to welcome Kyungsoo who descended on the couch next to him and leaned into his embrace. “That I’ll start working on it.”

Kyungsoo felt the warmth filling his body for probably the thousandth time in the past 24 hours. He laid out his hand on Jongin’s firm chest as he closed his eyes in content, head resting on his shoulder.

“Jongin, it’s almost midnight. We’ve been travelling for over 20 hours. Don’t you think it would be better to do this when we both have some time to sit down and discuss everything properly while we’re not half-asleep?”

“Of course we can,” Jongin’s arm tightened around his shoulders, but Kyungsoo could still feel that impatient tone to his husband’s bubbly voice. He cracked one eye open to throw a suspicious glance at him. Jongin’s lips spread into a wide smile again. “I’ll just call my assistants tonight, okay? I want Mark to get us the best teams to-“

“ _No!_ ”

Jongin blinked in confusion at Kyungsoo’s sudden outburst. He straightened on the couch, his hand gliding from Jongin’s chest to his shoulder.

He shook his head.

“No, I-…listen,” he let out a breath and watched something in Jongin’s eyes shifting. The attentive glint was apparent in the chocolate of his eyes now as he grabbed his arm and waited for him to continue. “This is going to be _our_ child. I don’t…I don’t want others to get involved.”

Jongin blinked quickly again, clarity filling his face as he realized where he was going with this.

“I don’t want Haechan or Mark of anybody else to be taking care of this. It is…something that me and you should do ourselves,” Kyungsoo heaved a sigh, before looking up to Jongin. “Does that make sense?”

Jongin remained silent for a few moments, but something about his expression softened. The look in his eyes, the smile on his face – soft and gentle, filled with all the love in the world, as he slid his hands down Kyungsoo’s arms to catch his palms. Their fingers intertwined loosely.

“You’re right,” Jongin ended up saying and his voice was as sweet as honey. “I’m sorry. I got way too excited.”

Kyungsoo smiled then. He reached up to cup Jongin’s face in his hand, pulling him to press their lips together. The kiss was sweet and loving, and his smile was getting in the way.

“I’m excited too,” Kyungsoo whispered against Jongin’s lips when they parted. He sat back and his hand fell down to cover Jongin’s palm, squeezing his hand tightly. “But tonight…let’s rest tonight, and tomorrow, when we come back from work, we will have the entire evening to work on everything. _Together_.”

Jongin’s nod was solemn, as he opened his arms again and invited Kyungsoo to snuggle closer to him. His legs were thrown over Jongin’s lap when he nuzzled his face into the crook of his chest. Jongin’s arms were wrapped around his middle, holding him close.

“ _Our child_ ,” Jongin sighed after a while, and Kyungsoo felt his hot breath on his skin when he nuzzled his face into his hair. His husband’s chest vibrated under his touch when he let out a quiet chuckle. “I can’t believe it.”

Kyungsoo bit on his lower lip to try stopping the wide grin from breaking out on his face as excitement surged in his chest yet again. He failed, as he just buried his face harder into Jongin, his fingers curling into the fabric of his husband’s shirt.

* * *

The entire day at work felt like a haze to Kyungsoo, whose mind was preoccupied with thoughts about this evening. He could not wait to get back home and do what he had promise Jongin they would do.

He wanted to tell someone about their decision – Baekhyun, who had spent the entire morning in his office, or Jongdae and Chanyeol. Maybe even Sehun.

But he didn’t think that would be right until him and Jongin had made a decision. Besides, he had been the one to stop Jongin from doing anything hasty. It was his turn now to not get over-excited.

The hours, for once, went by quickly, and he found himself rushing home as soon as the clock struck 8. Jongin was already supposed to be there after his photoshoot for Esquire. He sure hoped so. He had no more patience in himself to spare.

“Hey, you’re back!” Jongin said as soon as he saw Kyungsoo wildly barging into the living room. He was at the kitchen counter, setting food in two plates. Kyungsoo threw a suspicious look towards it, and Jongin just broke into a grin. “Don’t worry, I didn’t cook. I got takeout from that restaurant I like.”

That was a relief, Kyungsoo thought, as he set his bad and laptop aside. He walked over to where Jongin was pulling out utensils from the cupboard.

“Wine?” he asked, and Kyungsoo leaned over the counter first, before replying. Jongin caught the hint and met him halfway to press their lips together.

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo whispered after they parted from the quick peck. Jongin just smiled at him as he turned to get glasses.

Kyungsoo grabbed the plates and brought them over to the small coffee table, setting one on each side of Jongin’s already set up laptop.

“Impatient,” Jongin remarked from the other side of the room, and when Kyungsoo threw a glare in his direction, his husband only laughed, picking up the two glasses and a bottle of red wine. He was rounding the couch, as he stopped just behind him. He leaned down to press a quick kiss to the top of Kyungsoo’s head. His chuckle was quiet. “Me too.”

They spent the entire evening together on the couch – eating, while reading different sources with information. Kyungsoo was leaning on Jongin as his husband picked up the laptop and brought it closer to them, placing it on his lap.

The minutes were rolling by quickly – they were both reading carefully, discussing every little bit of new information, marking everything important and saving the webpages they thought would be useful again in the future.

“The way I see it,” Jongin started, as he reached out to grab his wine glass. His glasses were riding low on his nose. “We have two options. Adoption or surrogate.”

Kyungsoo nodded thoughtfully. He swirled the wine in his glass, the ruby red distracting him briefly.

If they were to pick a surrogate, one of them would be genetically related to the child. If Kyungsoo could pick, he’d just tell Jongin to go ahead and do it. He wanted the very best for their child.

“If we go for a surrogate,” Jongin said then, almost as if reading his thoughts. “I want our baby to look like you.”

“No way,” Kyungsoo scoffed. “I want our baby to look like _you_.”

Jongin rolled his eyes, but bit on his lip then. He directed his gaze back to the screen.

“It says here some couples decide to get multiple eggs fertilized, using both parents’ semen,” Jongin pointed towards the laptop and the paragraph he was reading. “Then it’s up to nature.”

“That’s an option,” Kyungsoo mumbled quietly, all the information flowing through his brain and making him even more confused than he already felt.

“Or we could always just get two kids,” Jongin grinned then, and Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes at him.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself!”

It had been troubling him earlier – they were both so incredibly busy, taking care of a child would probably be impossibly hard to do with their current situation. He didn’t want to voice that out loud, because he knew Jongin and him would find a way – they always did.

But two children? That seemed like a reach. Even for them.

Besides, what did any of them know about parenting? It was better to start out slow. To make sure they were doing the right things.

And speaking of the right things…

“I think we should adopt,” Kyungsoo said hesitantly, throwing a nervous look towards Jongin. His husband nodded slowly, his eyes inquiring on him. Kyungsoo grabbed his hand lightly. “There are so many children out there, some not even born yet, who don’t have a family and are forced into the system.”

Jongin nodded slowly again, his thumb brushing over his skin.

“We could give one of them a home.”

Kyungsoo held his breath as he watched Jongin. His husband only nodded slowly again, his eyes a little dazed as he contemplated the words.

Then he nodded again. A little faster this time around. His lips pursed tighter, and Kyungsoo let the soft smile bloom on his lips. He knew that expression.

“I agree,” Jongin’s thumb brushed over his knuckles, as he smiled back at him. “You’re absolutely right.”

Okay, Kyungsoo hesitantly nodded. His mouth felt dry.

This was the decision they had been waiting to make.

He shot his eyes towards Jongin again, the question written all over his face.

_Are you sure?_

Jongin’s lips twitches before he smiled at him, the warmth and love oozing from his eyes.

_Yes._

Kyungsoo lounged forward to wrap his arms around Jongin’s neck, holding the other man close. He was pretty sure even Jongin could feel the way his heart was beating in his chest madly, the excitement rushing through his veins was probably contagious.

He felt Jongin’s fingers curling into him, when he rested his chin on his shoulder.

“I know you want us to take care of everything, but I think we should still see a consultant,” Jongin offered quietly. “We should hire a lawyer, someone who knows what they’re doing.”

Kyungsoo nodded this time around.

After everything they had read tonight, he knew that they needed the extra help.

And now that they did have their decision, he felt that excitement pumping through his veins getting to his head. It was impatience. The need to take care of all this as soon as possible.

He buried his face in Jongin’s neck and nodded.

“Yeah?” Jongin’s voice was a low whisper, and his fingers were gentle when he stroked his back.

“Yeah.”

* * *

It took them a long time to arrange everything, but with Haechan and Doyoung’s help, and with some heavy name dropping, they were able to hire the best adoption consultants money could get them.

Kyungsoo had thought he would feel intimidated, but Jongin was holding his hand tightly, and they both had made up their minds – they knew what they wanted when they walked into the consultant’s office. They both knew what to say and what to ask.

They spent almost two hours talking to the kind woman, who gathered all their information and compiled their file. They filled out their application together. She assured them that with their careers, they definitely had an advantage. _Financial stability is not an issue here_ , she had remarked, her eyes going a little wide upon the sight of their bank account statements.

All documents were cleared within the week, and then there was that.

Then all they had to do was wait.

* * *

He got the call in the middle of a meeting with a manufacturer.

The moment his phone started buzzing in his hand, he flinched, and looked down. As soon as he saw the name of the consultant on the screen, he pushed his chair back.

“I’m sorry,” he said towards the manufacturers and Baekhyun, who was giving him a sharp look. He wasn’t sorry at all. “I need to take this.”

He stumbled out of the conference room, the glass door not even completely shut behind him, as he picked up with a breathy ‘ _Hello?_ ’.

“Hello, Mr. Kim?” the woman started with her sweet voice. Kyungsoo’s ear was almost glued to the phone. “I am sorry to disturb during work hours-“

“Please,” Kyungsoo breathed out. “That’s alright. How can I help you?”

“Well, you see, Mr. Kim. We just received information about a new register entry. We have a 19-year old girl with unplanned pregnancy. She wants to give her baby up for adoption once it’s born,” the woman was speaking so casually, like she was used to it. And she was – it was her job. But Kyungsoo, on the other side of the line, reached up to pull on his tie. There was not enough air around him all of a sudden. “I reviewed their profile and you are the first ones I am contacting – neither the mother nor the father has history with medical complications. If you and your husband are interested, I can arrange a meeting with the girl.”

“ _Yes!_ ” Kyungsoo blurted out. He clutched at his own chest. “I mean, yes, please. That would be amazing.”

“Very well. Any preference about the day and time?”

“As soon as possible,” Kyungsoo replied again without thinking. He shook his head. “Whenever it is possible. Me and my husband will be there.”

“Good,” the woman from the other side of the line said. “This meeting will be an interview of a sort. It gives the mother the opportunity to get to know you two. It is up to her what family she decides to give her baby to.”

“Of course, I understand.”

“Very well, then,” the consultant said with a cheerful voice. “I will e-mail you the details and will call you back with the time and date.”

“Alright. Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Kyungsoo dropped against the glass wall of the conference room when the call ended. His heart, once again, had started doing somersaults in his chest.

Jongin.

He needed to see Jongin.

“Hey,” a voice ripped him away from his thoughts. When he turned to the side, a head had popped to look at him through the slip of the glass door of the conference room. He saw pitch-black hair and slightly pouty lips. Baekhyun was looking at him like he had fallen from another planet, slight concern lacing his tone. “Are you alright?”

Kyungsoo straightened up then, fixing the front of his suit. Right. The meeting.

“Yes, let’s get this over with,” he said, and his lips were pulled into a smile that made Baekhyun give him yet another confused look.

The faster he finished here, the sooner he could get to the 12th floor of VOGUE and give his husband the good news.

* * *

The girl sitting in front of them was young. She looked almost scared when they walked inside the room with the consultant. She seemed to sink even further back in the large chair that was engulfing her.

Kyungsoo looked at her curiously while the consultant was introducing them. She was a pretty little thing, with long, black shining hair and big, round eyes. Her lips trembled a little before she smiled hesitantly and reached out to shake Jongin’s outstretched hand.

“Thank you so much for meeting us,” Jongin used his charming smile. Only Kyungsoo could tell the genuine gratitude that was shining through his eyes. “My name is Jongin, and this is my husband – Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo woke up from his trance when the girl’s round eyes moved from Jongin to him. Her smile was pretty.

He held her hand then in a greeting, and it almost got swallowed in his palm. She was small.

He tried to calm himself down during the duration of the interview, but his heart was beating loudly every time he looked down to the girl’s tummy. She was not showing yet, or at least, he could not see the bump behind the hoodie she was wearing.

It was a relief that Jongin was there, his hand never leaving his thigh as he talked to the girl who slowly eased into the conversation. His fingers would occasionally tighten around his thigh, every time he turned around to look at him with a bright smile.

She was a nice girl. She was well-spoken and kind. After she got comfortable around them, she was funny too. She had her entire future ahead of her. The little baby growing inside her had been an unplanned mistake, that’s what she called it.

Kyungsoo’s eyes shot up then, and he was about to argue at first, but Jongin’s hand on his thigh calmed him down. Instead, he smiled.

“We would be truly blessed if we get the opportunity to raise the baby,” he uttered quietly, his hand falling on top of Jongin’s. The girl smiled at him.

“Do you want to know the gender?” she asked suddenly, and Kyungsoo perked up in his seat. He threw a curious glance towards the consultant, who had a little, pleased smile on her face. It seemed like this was going well.

Then his head whipped towards Jongin. His husband’s eyes were shining, his lips were parted. Kyungsoo contemplated for a moment when Jongin shrugged and raised his eyebrows at him.

“No,” he said, turning to smile giddily at the girl in front of them. “We want it to be a surprise.”

The girl just eased back into her chair. She seemed comfortable around them, she seemed content. Kyungsoo suspected it had something to do with Jongin bringing her an obnoxiously packed gift in a Chanel box (which he was pretty sure was against the rules, but when did Kim Jongin ever care about rules), or maybe the fact that she knew their names and faces even before the consultant introduced them. She seemed even more relaxed after they had spent an entire hour talking to each other.

“When is…the little one due?” Jongin asked then, curiosity unbearably heavy in his voice. It sounded like he had been itching to ask this since they stepped in the room.

“April,” the girl replied, and Kyungsoo tugged on Jongin’s arm. Less than six months.

The consultant was the one who wrapped up the meeting, bringing up application forms and documents. When they said goodbye, Kyungsoo’s eyes lingered on the retreating form of the girl as he went to fill out some more documents.

He leaned into Jongin’s embrace, when she disappeared from their sight, and he finally let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding.

“I think that went well,” Jongin said quietly, holding him close. “What do you think?”

Kyungsoo breathed in deeply, his fingers sliding between Jongin’s. The truth.

He loved the girl. She was smart, she was beautiful, she was gentle and sweet. And her baby? The little thing inside her that she had called a mistake and that him and Jongin were so desperately waiting for? He wanted it. He wanted it more than he wanted anything else in this entire wide world.

“I think I’ll be crushed if this doesn’t work out.”

Jongin’s fingers tightened around his, as he pulled him even closer. His sigh was quiet, and Kyungsoo understood.

He felt the same way.

* * *

Kyungsoo’s eyes were sliding over the drafts pasted into the mock-up. His gaze was shooting between the handwritten notes on the side, the arrows pointing towards pictures and photos, put together with tape.

It was the third time he had to start the page from scratch, because he kept getting distracted.

He gripped the pencil in his fingers tighter, as he forced himself to pay attention.

“So, I was thinking instead of the violet one we can change it to red,” Baekhyun was saying from across the desk. “Christmas is coming so red should be more fitting.”

Kyungsoo blinked up towards the art director.

“Sorry, change _what_ to red?”

Baekhyun set his jaw tightly and looked at him with an impatient glint in his sharp eyes.

“The cover title,” he all but hissed at him, before crossing his arms over his leather jacket. He had a little scowl on his face.

“Sorry,” Kyungsoo winced a little. He was slowly starting to piss off Baekhyun, he could tell by the look on his face. It was good that he still hadn’t reached out to unwrap a lollipop. He wasn’t completely done with him then. “Yeah, red would probably be better.”

“Get your mind out of the gutter.”

Kyungsoo nodded at Baekhyun’s warning, as they continued the review of the mock-up before they’d submit it to Jongin.

They were going over the placement of the articles on the pages, and the photos Jongin had chosen from the photoshoot last week.

“This is for the article on Marine Serre’s new collection,” Baekhyun pointed towards a blank spot on the next page. “When can we expect that?”

“I have a writer working on it. Should be ready by tonight,” he sighed, tapping his pencil on the desk unconsciously.

Baekhyun’s gaze shifted again then, from the mock-up to his busy hands, then up to his face.

He let out a sigh, as he leaned back in the chair.

“Okay, what is it?”

“What?” Kyungsoo met his eyes for a brief second, before shaking his head and glancing back at the articles. “Nothing.”

“No, it’s nothing. You’ve been spacing out like this for over a week,” Baekhyun leaned over the desk, not really giving him any space to back up. He raised his eyebrows, and his expression was as hard as steel. He wasn’t going to back off. “Whatever’s gotten into you is making you lose focus and we end up with a goddamn mock-up that’s still not ready by a Friday night. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to go back home to my fiancé and _rest_ , not work the entire weekend.”

Kyungsoo winced at the harsh reprimand in Baekhyun’s voice. He was about to apologize again for being distracted, but Baekhyun beat him to it.

“Did you and Jongin fight again?”

“What?!” Kyungsoo’s head shot up, his eyebrows narrowed. “No!”

“Then what is it?!”

Kyungsoo’s breath hitched at the pointed and determined look in Baekhyun’s eyes. It was all business right now. There was no hint of a smile on Baekhyun’s face – he was not in the mood for jokes, and Kyungsoo could not blame him. He was right, the workload that had been dumped on him this week alone simply because Kyungsoo was letting himself get distracted was just unfair.

As he stared into one of his best friends’ inquiring eyes, he felt the breath leaving him slowly.

His chest felt like it would combust if he did not let it out.

“I will tell you only if you promise to keep it a secret.”

Confusion flashed on Baekhyun’s face for a moment, before he nodded solemnly.

“Of course.”

It took more willpower than he could admit to muster up the courage to look at his best friend and breathe in deeply.

“Me and Jongin are looking to adopt a child.”

Baekhyun’s shoulders slowly slumped as Kyungsoo watched him carefully, assessing his reaction. His face softened then, his features calming down and the iron melting away as his eyes sparkled.

Kyungsoo was holding his breath, as he watched Baekhyun lean back in the chair, reaching up to run a hand through his black hair.

“I mean…I expected you guys to get there sooner or later so I can’t say I’m shocked,” Baekhyun said quietly after a little while, eyes finding him again. “But it _is_ surprising, nonetheless. How-… _When_ did you decide?!”

“I think Jongin’s been thinking about it for a while now,” Kyungsoo shook his head, the smile stretching his lips as he looked back at Baekhyun. The mock-up between them was now completely forgotten. “He asked me when we were away in Zanzibar two months ago.”

“Two _months_?!” Baekhyun seemed more shocked now. “And you didn’t tell me?!”

“We haven’t told anyone,” Kyungsoo shook his head, and that seemed to ease Baekhyun up a little bit. “Not even our parents. We didn’t want to tell anyone until…well, until everything was sorted out.”

Baekhyun nodded, processing the information. Then his eagle eyes focused on him again.

“And what’s the problem?”

It was Kyungsoo’s turn to lean back in his chair, a defeated sigh escaping his lips.

“We went for an interview with an expecting mother a week ago. We’re waiting to hear about her decision,” he said breathily. When he shook his head, hair fell over his eyes. Another breath left his lips, shattered and confused. He looked back at Baekhyun. “I want that baby, Baek...I want it so much. I can’t…I can’t stop myself from checking my phone every few minutes. I keep refreshing my e-mail. It’s just driving me insane.”

“What about Jongin?” Baekhyun asked cautiously. “How does he feel about this?”

“He tries to stay optimistic in front of me, but I see him checking his phone every time I leave the room.”

Baekhyun remained silent, and Kyungsoo’s fingers automatically picked up the pencil again. The rhythmic tapping against the wooden desk was the only sound to be heard in his office for a little while.

And then, a hand came to cover his, successfully stopping the anxious moves.

Baekhyun gave him a smile when he squeezed his hand.

“It’s only been a week, Soo,” he said gently, and tapped his hand before sliding his fingers away from him. “Signing a contract with a brand can take _months_. And we’re talking about a little human here, not a bunch of fabric. Those things take time. So give it some time.”

Kyungsoo smiled weakly, as he clapped his hands together. He straightened in his chair.

“Alright. Enough moping. We got work to do!”

Baekhyun nodded, pulling his chair closer to the desk again. He shot him a look from under his fringe.

“Hey…can I tell Chanyeol?”

“Chanyeol?! That blabbermouth? No way.”

“Oh, _come_ _on_!” Baekhyun whined. “He’s my fiancé, I don’t want to keep secrets from him.”

Kyungsoo just shook his head, a little exasperated sigh leaving his lips at Baekhyun’s teasing.

“I shouldn’t have told you.”

He was never going to admit it to the other man, but his chest did feel lighter now, and he was grateful.

* * *

“Get that out of my sight.”

At Jongin’s displeased scoff, the weird-looking hats were immediately discarded to the furthest corner of the room, where the editor-in-chief could not see them.

“I thought I told you all we are going for everlasting beauty. Trends that are making their return,” Jongin was frowning as he stood up. He rolled up his sleeves as he approached Yeri. His eyes were discerning as he eyed the clothes she was wearing. “The dress is _okay_. If we alter it, it will look better, though. Does the brand have something similar?”

“They have a skirt,” Krystal supplied from the side, as she rummaged through the clothing rack. Jongin lazily looked towards her when she produced the skirt out of there.

“Put that on. It’s better than the dress. Where are the tops for this?”

Kyungsoo was getting the accessories they had prepared earlier for all possible skirt-combos ready, as he watched Jongin personally pick one of the shirts Baekhyun picked up for him.

“And we need boots for this.”

“The only boots we have are the brown leather ones from earlier,” Junmyeon clicked his tongue. “We can request the same in black or blue.”

Jongin’s lips curled into a pout as he stepped back to look at Yeri. He seemed to think about it.

When he leaned back against his desk, pushing the sleeves up his arms again, Kyungsoo saw from the corner of his eyes Haechan gripping the iPad tighter. He must have sensed the incoming vomit of orders.

“Get them in blue. Also change the Chanel bag from the previous outfit. Pair that up with the Prada bag and move the Chanel bag to this outfit. The top looks plain, though. Do we have Hermes shawls? I want a shawl on this outfit. Or accent jewellery.”

Kyungsoo took this as his cue to move the box with the necklaces closer to Jongin at the same time Junmyeon dove to check the list of items they had for this issue.

“This one is not bad,” Jongin said, vaguely pointing towards a necklace with large cerulean stones. “This one too. Try them both.”

Kyungsoo handed both necklaces over to Krystal, before reaching out to write the change in bags on the outfit sequences. He needed it for the editorial content later.

“Did you call Minseok?” Jongin asked nobody in particular, but Haechan sprung up in the corner.

“Yes. He says he is free the week after New Year’s Eve.”

“Damn it,” Jongin clicked his tongue. “Get me the photographers list after the run-through.”

It was hasty and rushed, as always – there was complete chaos that they were trying to sort into the beautiful pages of VOGUE during the run-through. It was exhausting and straight-up annoying at times, but it was essential to get everything right here and now in order to have a good issue of the magazine.

There was a low buzz in the room in the room, and Kyungsoo’s eyes widened. They usually didn’t bring their phones in here. Jongin get angry whenever their run-throughs were interrupted by useless phone calls. Kyungsoo’s eyes shot around the room to see a mirror of his own expression from every present editor – whoever hadn’t turned his phone off was going to get in trouble.

But it was Jongin who reached into his pocket to get his phone.

“Go with the silver necklace,” he said harshly, before looking down to his phone. His eyes widened for a moment, before he immediately raised the device up to his ear. “Hello?”

Kyungsoo blinked at the urgency in Jongin’s voice. His husband was looking at him then, expression serious as he was listening to the person on the other side of the line as his editors scrambled to use the one extra minute to fix the outfit and to attach the silver necklace to the model’s neck.

“Yes, he’s here,” Jongin said and his eyes shot towards Kyungsoo again. His nod was almost invisible, but Kyungsoo saw it. He felt a sharp pain in his chest. Something gripping at his heart, the anticipation _hurting_. “Yes?”

Kyungsoo straightened up, leaving the box on the table. His hands were starting to shake.

Jongin was not looking away from him as he gripped on hi phone tightly, and his expression was unreadable for a few long moments.

The irritation from the run through, however, was erased now and instead replaced by utmost attention.

Kyungsoo gulped when he saw his husband’s fingers gripping the side of his deck tightly, his fingers anxiously sliding against the wood as he kept blinking soundlessly.

And then he moved. His entire body seemed to react when he let out a breath loudly.

“Approved?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened when Jongin looked at him again. He saw it then – all the stars in his husband’s eyes coming to life, shining their brightest, when Jongin smiled.

He reached a hand up to run through the long locks of his brown hair. His fingers slid down to rub over his face, as he let out another breath.

“Are you serious?!” he said into the phone, and his voice almost broke with the disbelief and happiness dripping from it. “Oh my God.”

Kyungsoo was shaking.

Jongin was looking at him. He waited for the person he was talking to to say something.

And then he nodded. The smile was lighting up his entire face.

Kyungsoo’s hand shot up to cover his mouth. His vision was becoming blurry. His chest was about to explode.

“Thank you so much! I-…yes. Yes, of course,” Jongin was saying into the device. “We will be there right away. Thank you so much!”

And then Jongin set the phone down on his desk.

Kyungsoo waited there in his spot, shaking. His eyes were stinging, as he waited for Jongin to say something. Anything.

But his husband was standing in front of him, in front of all his editors, and he was speechless. He buried his hands in his hair, almost pulling on the hair as he let out a laugh. A quiet chuckle in the deadly silent office.

“Approved,” he whispered, looking at him, and Kyungsoo felt a pang in his chest. Jongin’s nod was soft. His smile was wide. He was glowing.

He could not believe it.

He took one step forward, his legs felt weak. And then another.

Jongin pushed himself up from the desk then. His eyes were glazed over, and Kyungsoo felt his world shaking again.

“Approved…” Kyungsoo repeated in a whisper, and Jongin nodded eagerly.

He was smiling, Kyungsoo realized through the tears that were blurring his vision. He was smiling so hard, he probably looked like a freak.

But he didn’t care.

All he cared about were those two meters separating him and Jongin. He walked across the office quickly and threw himself in his husband’s open arms.

Jongin let out a wild laugh then, and Kyungsoo joined in. His fingers were digging into Jongin’s back, and Jongin’s arms were tight around his waist when he spun him around once.

Kyungsoo didn’t think he had ever felt such raw happiness in his entire life.

“I can’t believe this,” Kyungsoo let out a laugh between the teary gasps. “Oh my god.”

“We did it,” Jongin whispered in his ear, and he was choking up. Kyungsoo bit on his lower lip as he tightened his arms around Jongin. “She picked us.”

Kyungsoo closed his eyes and buried his face in Jongin’s shoulder.

He vaguely heard some noises in the background. Some shuffling. Krystal sounded mildly annoyed and utterly confused when she whispered demandingly to know what was going on. Baekhyun just shushed her.

And Kyungsoo laughed. His fingers curled into fists as he held Jongin so close to himself. If he let go now, his heart was going to erupt out of his chest. If he let go now, he would float away to another dimension.

“I love you,” he whispered in Jongin’s skin. “I love you so much.”

Jongin’s arms were holding him tight, and Kyungsoo only let out another breathy chuckle when he felt Jongin’s head turning to place a kiss on his cheek.

* * *

The months were passing by torturously slowly. The days were long, and the nights were even longer.

Time was mocking him, as he kept checking the date a few times every day, as if it would change.

It was merely February, and time was simply mocking him.

He could not wait for April.

Despite the irritation that the clock did not move faster at his will, Kyungsoo realized some things had changed – Jongin’s hugs were even tighter and his kisses were even sweeter. His smiles were blinding and his eyes were radiating the happiness that both of them felt within.

They met up with the girl again, several times.

Jongin showered her with presents, which she kept claiming were unnecessary. She was studying at home for her college entrance exams. She kept referring to the baby as merely a hurdle that she had to overcome before she could get on with her life. She had plans, dreams. Kyungsoo understood that.

He could not help the satisfied grin that stretched his lips for the entire week after the girl called the baby she was carrying their baby. It made it sound, despite all the document they had filled out in the past months, final. It made it sound real.

 _Their_ baby.

At work, things had changed too. Word had gotten around the headquarters first, and when it was no secret anymore, Baekhyun had been the first to pop a bottle of champagne and call everyone to celebrate together. For once, people did not seem to fear the enigmatic editor-in-chief, when his mask of professionalism was cracking from the excitement bubbling within.

Their friends knew. Their families knew. His mother had cried when he told her. She was so happy, and it was only a fraction of what Kyungsoo was feeling. Jongin’s sister had laughed that Raeon and Rahee would have cousins to play with. The imagery alone had left Kyungsoo laughing like a teenager, sharing Jongin’s excited grin.

It was easier now to get work done when he had no more distractions weighing on his mind. In fact, inspiration seemed to have struck because his folders with new designs were growing, and his team seemed to get overwhelmed by all the new ideas he was throwing at them every next week.

Other than that excitement filling everyone around him to the brim, life seemed to slowly fall back into routine. Work. Sleep. More work. Food. More work. A business trip. Work. Jongin. A whole lot of Jongin.

He was sitting at home on that Wednesday evening, sprawled out on the couch with the laptop in front of his eyes. He was going through some submitted intern articles waiting his harsh judgement. He could hear their poodles playing in the distance, paws scraping against the laminated floors.

And then the door unlocked with a loud click.

Kyungsoo’s eyes didn’t tear away from the page until the finished the sentence, not even when he could see Jongin walking in with his periphery vision.

He wrote down a quick suggestion in the notes, before finally straightening up a little. Jongin was shrugging the jacket off his shoulders.

“You’re late,” Kyungsoo announced as his husband came closer. He reached up to undo his tie in the same down he leaned down to greet him with a quick kiss. “I didn’t know if you had dinner so I ate already. There’s still some leftovers in the fridge, if you want.”

Jongin didn’t seem to mind that at the moment, because he shook his hand. He seemed excited when he returned to his stuff.

“I got you a gift,” he said, and Kyungsoo blinked as he closed his laptop and sat up.

“A gift?” he echoed, tilting his head as he saw Jongin picking up a big white bag with black linings. The Gucci logo was bold across the paper, and Kyungsoo’s eyebrows shot up. “What’s the occasion?”

“Since when do I need an occasion to give you a present?”

Jongin set the bag in Kyungsoo’s lap before sitting down next to him. He smiled softly as he wrapped an arm around his waist loosely.

Kyungsoo just gave him a measuring look, before directing his attention to the bag. He pulled out the box from the bag before discarding it to the side. He examined the rectangle box lying flat in his lap – no different from any other Gucci box.

He opened it slowly, hands rummaging to get rid of the black wrapping paper and the Gucci cards and ribbons.

Minty green was what met him when he finally removed the black paper. His fingers glided over the soft fabric, picking it out of the box cautiously. He blinked quickly at the tiny garment.

It took his brain a few moments to process what he was seeing. It was a one-piece. A tiny, little one-piece. Baby clothes.

His heart skipped a beat, as his fingers tightened into the fabric and he brought it closer to his chest. He smiled foolishly, his heart performing tricks in his ribcage yet again.

He only remembered reality again when Jongin’s fingers dug into him lightly.

Kyungsoo was on the verge of choking up, but even then, he gathered the sass to raise an eyebrow at his husband.

“Don’t think that will fit me.”

Jongin rolled his eyes, before pulling him even closer. Kyungsoo bit on his lower lip when he stretched his hands out to look at the baby one-piece again. It was beautiful, minty green with white frills at the collar.

It was so _tiny_.

He brought it back to his chest, hugging it closely as Jongin’s arms circled around him. Kyungsoo rested his head on his husband’s shoulder.

“I love it.”

* * *

March was rolling in and Kyungsoo was sitting on the stool at the kitchen counter, head resting on his hand as his eyes scanned the wide room. The sun was shining up high over Seoul, the light peering in from the floor to ceiling windows, illuminating the modern furniture and the abstract paintings on the wide walls.

His foot was tapping the floor as he was lost in thought.

Jongin was sitting at the couch, and the mock-up was open on the table next to him. His hair was brought up in a little ponytail on top of his head, a few strands falling on the sides of his face. He was consumed in his work, his lips pursing together every now and then as he reached down to write his corrections on the strikingly yellow post-it notes.

Kyungsoo blinked around the massive room again, and he frowned.

“Jongin, where will we set up the baby room?”

The editor-in-chief looked up from the mock-up towards him instead. His eyebrows were slightly raised in surprise at the sudden question. He straightened slowly, and his expression changed – he seemed like he was contemplating it.

Kyungsoo jumped up from the stool and leaned down to scramble the black poodle that was yapping at his feet from the ground. He ran his fingers through Mokmool’s soft fur.

“I was thinking we can do it at your study?” Kyungsoo suggested hesitantly, before shrugging. “It’s the room right next to our bedroom.”

Jongin stilled down and Kyungsoo worried for a second that maybe that was a bit too much – he knew just how much Jongin used and needed his home office. Then again, he seemed to have moved his at-home working hours to the living room instead these past few months.

He watched Jongin pushing his glasses up until they were resting on top of his head, tangled with the soft brown hair that was growing longer with every passing day.

He had this very distinct expression on his face that Kyungsoo knew all too well – it was the same expression when his editors were presenting the outfits at the run-throughs, and he was judging them internally before telling them his opinion, no matter how harsh it was. Then followed sharp corrections and orders. It was that expression. It was Kim Jongin’s face when he was thinking hard about the optimal solutions.

“There’s also the guest bedroom,” Kyungsoo continued. “We can remodel it, but it’s all the way down the hall. I was thinking we could move your stuff there and ins-“

“That’s it,” Jongin clapped his hands, interrupting him in the middle of his sentence. “Moving. Now I’m thinking!”

“What?”

Kyungsoo blinked dumbly when Jongin stood up from the couch, looking around the living room once. Twice.

Then he nodded and spread his arms nonchalantly.

“We should move.”

Kyungsoo paused in his step, the poodle wiggling in his arms.

“What?” he repeated dumbly. “Why would we move?”

“Because,” Jongin almost whined as he gestured around. “Look at this place! It’s not…right.”

Kyungsoo looked around, not really able to follow. The penthouse apartment was massive. It was beautiful. The view over Seoul was one of the best views in the city. It was one of the finest real estates in the city.

Jongin, however, was still motioning around aimlessly.

“We’re gonna have a baby, Kyungsoo! This place is not fit for a baby. It’s not fit for raising a child,” Jongin pointed towards the kitchen, as if trying to prove a point. “I mean, look at this! WE have a cocktail bar! This place is a _bachelor pad_.”

Kyungsoo sniffed as he raised an eyebrow at his husband.

“We’ve been married for three years, Jongin, _how_ is this a bachelor pad?”

But Jongin did not seem to be listening, as he paced around the room. His eyes were suddenly shining again, a very determined look settling in them when he finally stopped in front of Kyungsoo.

“We should get a house,” he said, and there was finality in his voice. “That’s right.”

“Jongin, I don’t think this is necessary, this apartment is-“

“It’s amazing, yes,” Jongin waited for Kyungsoo to set Mokmool back on the floor, before he pulled on his hands lightly. “But with our child, I want to have a place where we can be together as a family. A big house with a garden where we can grill on the weekends, and a pool where we can teach the kiddo how to swim, and-“

“Jongin…”

“A _home_ , Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo was about to protest again, but Jongin’s eyes were shining and he could practically see the images playing in his husband’s mind just from the dazed look on his face.

His heart melted then, at Jongin’s uttermost excitement and enthusiasm. At his eagerness to jump into this head-on.

And he would be lying if he said he wasn’t already imagining sitting on the garden under the night’s sky, peering up at the stars with Jongin and their little kid by his side.

He reached up to caress Jongin’s face gently, before smiling.

“Okay.”

* * *

The house was on top of the hills and it had a garden, and it had a pool.

It was large, and it was a mixture of modern and convenient architecture. The first floor had the signature floor to ceiling glass wall that opened up to the garden. The living room and the kitchen were wide, and the furniture was placed beautifully. Jongin had hired the interior designers to decorate the place.

It did not look too different from their penthouse apartment with its simplicity and the splashes of colour on the walls.

The second floor had the bedrooms – their bedroom, which did not look any different from the one they had shared until now. There were two guest bedrooms down the hall. Jongin chose one of the corner rooms to make their new home-office. He placed two large desks in there, and even brought in a mannequin for Kyungsoo to work on his designs.

The largest room on the floor, however, remained empty. They did not want the interior designers to do anything with it.

They spent an entire weekend after moving into their new house at different shops and markets, choosing the colours and the furniture all by themselves, pondering over every little detail together, until they had everything ready.

The walls of their baby’s room were now a mellow shade of yellow, soft like the wind and bright like the sunshine. The room now had a little cradle in the corner, a tiny, but beautiful baby bed with curtains falling to the sides. Cupboards, changing tables, a wardrobe that was entirely too big for baby clothes. There were beanbag chairs on the floor for him and Jongin to sit on when they were playing with their kid, and a whole bunch of plush animals. Maybe one too many. Jongin could not be stopped.

Kyungsoo would stop by the room’s door every night on his way to bed and he’d linger there, watching the wind swaying the white curtains. He would stand there for a few moments, before smiling to himself softly and turning off the lights.

It was almost April, he would keep thinking to himself as he would jump into bed next to his husband, snuggling into his welcoming embrace.

It was almost April, and soon, that room next to theirs would not be empty anymore.

* * *

They both took that day off work.

The day was quiet, unlike Kyungsoo’s heart beating in his chest madly.

Jongin was holding his hand, and that was the only thing that was keeping him grounded. The only thing that was keeping him from freaking out.

The hospital’s waiting room was wide and almost empty.

And Kyungsoo was anxious.

What if something went wrong? What if something happened?

“Calm down, love,” Jongin whispered to him reassuringly.

“This is taking too long,” Kyungsoo said then, springing up from the chair. “She was in labour for eight hours and now-“

Kyungsoo just motioned towards the door of the restricted area. His words were failing him, he was getting choked up yet again.

Jongin stood up and moved closer to him. He wrapped his arms around him, stroking his back in circles, reassurance and certainty evident in his movements.

“She’s only been there for forty minutes, Soo,” Jongin whispered softly. “The doctors said it could take up to two hours.”

Kyungsoo breathed in deeply, trying to control himself. He appreciated Jongin holding him. It really felt reassuring.

“Tell you what,” Jongin started. “I’ll go downstairs and get you a tea. Do you want something to ea-“

“You’re not going anywhere,” Kyungsoo said almost menacingly. For good measure, his hands tightened around Jongin’s, preventing him from moving away. “You’re staying here with me.”

Jongin laughed quietly. Then he nodded.

“Alright.”

Kyungsoo was nervously pacing round the room as he listened to Jongin talking on the phone with his lawyer and the consultant. They were going to come in a few hours with some more documents that had to be signed.

It was easy to ignore that, as he kept throwing looks towards the doors of the delivery room.

The clock on the wall was mocking him.

He was still pacing around, at the edge of his nerves, when the doors of the room finally opened.

Kyungsoo felt all blood draining from his face at the sight of the doctor standing there, holding the door open. He felt dizzy.

And then there was a hand on his waist. Jongin had stood up, and he was holding him. His eyes were also wide open, and his jaw was set.

“Mr. Kim?” the doctor asked, and when both of them nodded, she smiled. She pushed the door open wider. “Follow me.”

Kyungsoo’s knees felt weak, but he moved forward nonetheless. He was holding on to Jongin’s hand for dear life as the doctor led them down a long hallway.

And then the doctor stopped, and opened another door, and he smile was inviting when she let them enter.

Kyungsoo’s breath caught in his throat and his fingers dug into Jongin’s skin furiously.

There, in the tiny bed pushed to the side of the room, was a little baby. A nurse was leaning over it, fixing the cloth it was wrapped in.

Jongin’s sharp inhale woke him up from his daze. Jongin’s fingers tugged him forward across the room.

They walked side by side, and Kyungsoo’s entire body was trembling more the closer he got.

And then they were standing over it, and Kyungsoo’s pupils were shaking as he raised his hand to cover his mouth and silence the breathy sigh.

The doctor moved closer then, and Kyungsoo could not tear his eyes away from the little baby that was wiggling on the bed. Its eyes were shut closed, and its little mouth was twisting.

It grimaced, and then those tiny lips parted and released a loud cry.

The sound made something akin to a tidal wave wash over Kyungsoo, as he gasped. Clarity filled his mind as he looked down at the baby again.

At their baby.

“Your daughter,” the doctor said across the little bed, and Kyungsoo’s arms were shaking again.

He somehow found the willpower within himself to tear his gaze away from the little baby and towards Jongin.

Jongin seemed to be in just as harsh a shock as him – his eyes were glazed over, and his smile was dazed. His lips were almost quivering, and Kyungsoo, despite everything, found it within himself to chuckle lightly.

The enigmatic editor-in-chief standing completely enamoured in front of a tiny little baby.

“Can we-…” Jongin’s voice broke before he could finish the sentence, but he stretched his arm out. The doctor laughed softly.

“Of course,” she said, as she reached down to pick up the crying baby softly. Kyungsoo let go of Jongin’s hand when the doctor walked towards him. “Gently. Keep your hand steady. Support her head.”

Kyungsoo could see Jongin’s eyes widening when the doctor placed the baby – their little baby – in his arms. He could see all remnants of trying to hold himself together crumbling. Jongin let out a breath. His eyes were tearing up, and Kyungsoo bit on his lower lip as he walked closer. He placed a hand on Jongin’s arm, peering down at the tiny bundle in his strong arms.

“Hey there, little one,” Jongin whispered, and his voice was hoarse. Kyungsoo squeezed his arm lightly.

 _I’m here_ , he wanted to remind him. _We’re here together_.

Jongin did look towards him then. And he smiled.

And it was the most beautiful smile Kyungsoo had ever seen, raw and pure emotion shining through it. Kyungsoo laughed as he leaned over the baby, his forehead brushing against Jongin’s.

“Hi,” Jongin repeated quietly with his hoarse voice, trying to keep still as Kyungsoo hesitantly raised a finger to touch the baby’s tiny arm. He gasped at the size difference. He felt a terror within himself – what if he hurt it? What if he did something wrong? But the baby’s loud cries silenced down when he brushed his finger against the soft skin of that tiny arm. He pursed his lips to stop himself from crying when those tiny little fingers wrapped around the tip of his finger. Jongin’s eery chuckle made a shiver run up Kyungsoo’s spine, and he felt his husband’s hot breath on the skin of his face when he spoke. “Welcome to the family, little one.”

The family.

Their family.

Kyungsoo looked up and he met Jongin’s eyes. There was nothing but pure love in them, and Kyungsoo felt his entire world revolving around the three of them, right here and now.

He tiptoed, pressing his lips against Jongin’s. His kiss was sweeter than ever, soft and loving, gentle and perfect. It took Kyungsoo’s worries away, it replaced them with all the love in the world. It filled him with a thousand promises of happiness and joy.

Kyungsoo broke the kiss first, as he looked back towards their baby. He brushed his thumb on the back of their daughter’s hand lightly.

“Welcome to the family, Jia,” Kyungsoo whispered, the name rolling down his tongue naturally after hours and hours of past discussions.

He felt Jongin pressing his forehead against his again, as they peered down at the tiny human in his arms. Down at those quivering little lips threatening to release another cry, and with those eyes fluttering open, glassy and disoriented.

And he knew now, as he looked down at that little face.

This was it.

The reason his heart was beating so madly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Consider this chapter as an ~intro~
> 
> I'm excited to write this. I have a bunch of dad jokes in my drafts. Can't wait to use them. 
> 
> Also, baby Jia is here!!! I chose the name after the voting on the twitter poll I made today. Jia (or Ji-Ah) means wise and beautiful, and I thought that would be fitting for their family haha Also you will have to excuse me if things about the adoption process are not accurate, I tried doing my research but it seems kind of complicates ldggh
> 
> Let me know what you think, leave a comment down below, i'd love to read your thoughts and/or suggestions! 
> 
> You can talk to me on twitter @jongnugget ~
> 
> Credit for the beautiful, beautiful poster to shin-oppa from [We Got Fired](https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/578240/we-got-fired-graphic-shop-open-hiring-revamping-graphic-graphics-poster-request-you-hiring-postershop-graphicshop-hiringdesigner)~ Thank you SO MUCH for making the posters for all three stories of the series, creating this iconic 'image' of the story. It's hard to imagine the stories without your beautiful posters, I am immensely grateful for your help ♡♡♡


	2. Zero

After every single document had been signed, and after everything had been finalized, they were allowed to leave the hospital two days after the baby’s birth.

It had been the wildest and scariest thing in the world.

Kyungsoo holding baby Jia in his arms – a little bundle of joy, so tiny in his arms – as they headed back home. All three of them.

“Welcome home, little one,” Jongin was the one who still sounded choked up even after two days, as he held the door wide open. His eyes were full of love when he let Kyungsoo enter before him, a hand naturally falling to the small of his waist as he moved behind him, peering over his shoulder at the little face peeking through the blanket.

Jia’s eyes were glazed over - pretty little things, still unable to focus on anything. Her little mouth was pulling back every now and then, little head moving and tiny arms and legs wriggling in his hold. Every single move had Kyungsoo’s heart skipping a beat, afraid that he was doing something wrong even if all he was doing was just holding her tight.

His heart skipped another beat when Jongin leaned closer and kissed his head on the side, just above his eyebrow. His hand was wrapped securely around his shoulder, before he dropped their bags and the keys on the sofa, arm moving up so he could trace the back of his finger gently over their little girl’s puffy cheek.

Her tiny little mouth moved into the most adorable yawn Kyungsoo had ever seen, a sight that tugged at all his heartstrings, before her eyelids fluttered. Kyungsoo almost coo-ed out loud at the sight, rocking her gently back and forth at the same time Jongin moved even closer to him, his arm moving to circle around his waist and hold him tighter.

“The nurse said they just fed her before we left,” Jongin said, whispered almost. As if afraid that being loud might scare their little baby girl. “She should sleep now.”

“Right,” Kyungsoo croaked out, absolutely hating the fact that he’d have to let go of his little angel.

They walked together all the way up to the baby room, and Jongin turned on the light switch. The dreamy yellow of the baby room was illuminated by the soft lights, along with the dancing projections of stars and teddy bears on the ceiling from the little baby light projector.

Kyungsoo held his breath as he lowered the little bundle in his arms into the cradle.

Jia was already half-asleep by the time she was lying down in the bed, eyelids now shut closed, but little, tiny fingers still moving every now and then. The diaper was entirely too big on her little body, it made her look like a little frog in her minty green overalls.

Kyungsoo bit on his lower lip to stop himself from letting out the happy sob, but Jongin’s arms were wrapped around him tightly, keeping him grounded.

“Sleep well, angel,” he whispered quietly, moving to arrange the blanket around Jia carefully.

Jongin’s fingers squeezed his sides again, briefly, before he let go and shuffled to the side of the room. Kyungsoo tore his eyes away from Jia for a couple seconds, to only see Jongin was dragging the two beanbags that had been set at the corner of the baby room closer to the cradle.

Kyungsoo smiled when Jongin puled him down on the chair, pulling him on top of himself so he could rest his head on Jongin’s shoulder and rest his palm on his thigh.

“We’re home now,” Jongin whispered, and his fingers squeezed around Kyungsoo’s shoulders, holding him tight. A kiss landed on his hair, and Kyungsoo’s lips pulled into a smile.

He extended one of his hands towards the cradle, finger slipping between the bars and on Jia’s little palm. Her tiny fingers immediately reacted at the soft press and wrapped around his finger. Her small fingernails turned white from the strength she was using to hold on to him, and Kyungsoo’s heart was swollen with all the love in the world.

He rested his head back on Jongin’s shoulders, eyes trained on their baby girl, the new centre of their universe.

“We are.”

They spent Jia’s first night in their home standing over her crib, bodies reacting automatically to every little sound she made and every little twist of her tiny body.

Jongin’s breath was bated as he leaned closer, afraid that she wasn’t breathing every time she sneezed or coughed, and Kyungsoo’s heart flipped in his chest every time she kicked her tiny legs or let out a gurgling sound.

They spent the few short hours sitting there together, in each other’s arms, looking over their biggest treasure.

* * *

Jia was crying.

Kyungsoo was holding her, still scared to death, because she was as light as a feather in his arms, and she was crying so loudly, he could not believe her tiny little lungs were capable of producing such a powerful sound.

Jongin was not fending any better. He looked just as distraught as the baby was, eyes blown wide and mouth open as he flailed his arms.

“What should I do?!”

Kyungsoo’s eyebrows twitched at yet another piercing cry that resounded in their house, trying to rock Jia soothingly in his arms.

“She must be hungry,” he shook his head, before nodding mostly to himself. “That must be it. It’s been a few hours.”

“Right,” Jongin nodded, hair sticking out in all directions. “Right. Formula. Where did you leave it?”

Kyungsoo’s breath hitched at the loud piercing cries of his baby, even the soft rocks of his arms not doing a single thing to calm her down.

“Kitchen. Come on.”

The shrieks grew louder by the second, and Kyungsoo’s heart was breaking. He felt so useless, as Jongin dove forward to grab the ready to feed formulas.

“We need some warm water,” Kyungsoo said, shifting his weight from leg to leg, trying to soothe the crying baby in his hands.

His husband nodded, looking so lost and out of his zone as he set the bottled formula on the kitchen counter. He dove to grab one of the pots under the counter, moving to fill it up with water.

Kyungsoo panicked, already realizing the intent in Jongin’s eyes as he moved.

“ _You can’t put a metal pot in the microwave, Kim Jongin_!”

Jongin startled at that, and if Kyungsoo wasn’t already so stressed about their crying daughter in his arms and about the fact that he was so clueless and so suddenly not ready for any of this, he felt another wave of panic washing over him when his husband looked at him as if they were in the middle of a horror house.

“Just…get a plastic container,” Kyungsoo tried to keep his voice steady, for the sake of both of them. Jongin nodded, immediately moving to follow the given instructions. “Fill it with water and put it in the microwave.”

“Okay,” Jongin did, breathing out as if he had just overcome the biggest hurdle in his entire life when the microwave’s light came on and the soft buzz filled the kitchen in the middle of the night. “Okay, now what?”

“Wash your hands,” Kyungsoo sighed out. “And open the bottle. Remove the lid.”

He didn’t think he’d ever seen Jongin washing his hands so thoroughly. He was careful when he opened the bottle and leaned down to sniff it.

A soft smile pulled on Kyungsoo’s lips at Jongin’s confused and not entirely pleased expression. Right. Infant baby formula probably didn’t smell as appetizing as his steak dinners at fancy restaurants, but it would have to do.

“Pour it in the baby bottle and then put it in the container with the warm water,” Kyungsoo turned down to look at Jia, making little shushing sounds, trying his best to calm the crying baby girl.

Jongin rounded the counter then, wrapping an arm around his middle and raising a hand to pull on the blanket at Jia’s chest. He, too, seemed heartbroken and confused.

“Don’t cry, little one,” he coo-ed, and Kyungsoo leaned his head against his husband’s. He closed his eyes when the little sobs continued, and Jongin’s fingers tightened around him. “It’s almost ready. Don’t cry.”

Kyungsoo let out a little sigh when Jongin’s hand moved from his sides up to his head, fingers buried in his unruly dark hair as he pulled him closer and sighed out against his skin.

“We can’t use the water dispenser next time to warm the formula?”

“I have no idea,” Kyungsoo breathed out, still rocking little Jia in his arms. “The water from that is almost boiling. Probably no.”

“Makes sense,” Jongin sighed against his skin once again before detaching himself from Kyungsoo. “Do you want anything? Coffee? Tea?”

But Kyungsoo couldn’t even think about himself at this moment, his undivided attention was all on their baby girl, still writhing and crying in his arms. He really did feel so useless.

His eyes flashed up to Jongin, who was looking at the baby bottle suspiciously. Kyungsoo pursed his lips.

“Try it.”

Jongin, again, seemed scared, as he hesitantly picked up the bottle and dried it with a paper towel that he discarded somewhere on the counter. He turned the bottle upside down, a few drops of it falling on his skin.

“Is it still cold? It’s not too hot, is it?”

Jongin dropped some more of it on his skin, eyebrows knitted together as if he was facing the world’s hardest math problem.

“I think it should be alright,” he mumbled, before leaning down. Before Kyungsoo could stop him, his husband’s tongue had darted over those few drops of baby formula. His expression shifted, and whatever worried he had evaporated, replaced now by utter disgust and shock. “ _Oh my_ _God!_ ”

“What?!” Kyungsoo asked, alarmed. “Too hot?”

“No. Too disgusting,” Jongin’s face was still twisted in a grimace as he eyed the baby bottle distastefully. “No wonder the poor kid’s crying. I’d be crying too if I had to eat this crap ten times a day. It tastes like wet cardboard.”

“Jesus, Jongin,” Kyungsoo let out an exasperated sigh, Jia’s cries sounding louder by the minute. “Give me the damn bottle.”

Jongin seemed to snap back to reality, eyes immediately focusing on their little baby girl, as he rounded the counter again. He was almost glued to Kyungsoo when he raised the bottle to Jia’s face. Her tiny lips immediately latched on the bottle’s nipple, and just like that, the cries ceased.

Kyungsoo let out a sigh of relief, and he felt Jongin relaxing beside him too, finally resting his free arm on his shoulders, the other supporting the bottle as Jia was gobbling up the formula.

“The doctor recommended this formula because of the minerals and vitamins,” Kyungsoo said as they both sat down on the couch. His eyes were trained on Jia’s little face, her fists flailing around as she fed. “I know it tastes horrible, most formulas probably do, but it’s the best we can give her now.”

“Right,” Jongin’s sigh was a little dejected. “We should look into baby bottle water dispensers. Or a warmer or something. Maybe it will be faster than the microwave.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“I’ll have Haechan look into it tomorrow,” Jongin said, and Kyungsoo turned just in time to see his husband’s face twitching when he tried to suppress his yawn.

When their eyes met, Jongin smiled at him sweetly. He pulled him closer.

“Look at us,” he said quietly, fingers brushing a few loose strands of hair away from Kyungsoo’s face. “I think we did pretty well.”

Kyungsoo let out a soft chuckle. Now that their baby girl was not crying anymore, he too felt calmer. All things considered, Jongin was right.

Kyungsoo’s smile was small and genuine, as he leaned closer into Jongin, his arms tightening around their baby. She was still drinking, and he was supporting her head while Jongin held on to the bottle.

He felt his husband’s lips landing in a kiss on the side of his neck when he pulled him closer, wrapping an arm both around him and Jia.

“I think we did.”

* * *

It was just after only about one week on their journey as new parents, when duty called and Jongin had to return to work.

Kyungsoo knew he had no choice. They had talked about this for hours and hours on end. Jongin was reluctant, but he knew he had to return to VOGUE eventually, do his job. Even if he wanted to stay home and spend his entire days with Jia.

Kyungsoo, on the other hand, had decided to take the month off on paid leave. He knew their baby needed to be taken care of. This had caused a lot of discourse and a lot of problems within the magazine’s structure – one of the fashion segment editors was suddenly going on paid leave, and all writers in his department were lost and confused. Baekhyun and Junmyeon had split up the workload for this one week, taking care of his writers and arranging their articles.

After this one week, he would start doing some of his work from home. He knew it was no fair to let others do his work. Besides, he wanted to do his work. He just didn’t want to do it away from his baby. So working from home for a while was the perfect solution to his problems.

He was grateful for everything him and Jongin had. He was grateful for their beautiful house, he was grateful for the love in their family. He was grateful for the amazing people around them, and he was especially grateful to their own parents, who had stepped in to help them when they needed it most.

Kyungsoo’s parents had come to visit them during the weekend, showering Jia with all the love grandparents could produce, which was a whole lot of it. His mom had decided to stay with them for the week after, as well, after Kyungsoo’s somewhat unsure ask whether she could help take care of Jia while he was reviewing the articles. She had been more than ready to agree.

Jongin’s mother, too, had been more than ecstatic to step in and help. She was visiting almost every day, playing with Jia and chatting gleefully with his mom, while he sat down to finish his work. He would throw worried glances towards the women and his daughter every now and then.

The days were long, and they seemed to be getting even longer with every passing second. He had lost count already at how many times he had been scolded about the _correct_ way to prepare baby formula, or about the _proper_ way to shower a baby. He didn’t even want to think about all the nagging coming from both sides of the family after his inadequate attempts to wrap the blanket around Jia properly, the hands of the two women clawing his own arms away in order to show him in excruciating detail where every corner was supposed to go and how everything should be tucked.

But despite the nags, and despite the complaints of Jia’s grandmothers, Kyungsoo was grateful. If it wasn’t for them, he didn’t even want to imagine how hard it would have been to get through the days while waiting for Jongin to return from work, so they could share all the workload.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay for dinner?” Kyungsoo asked, holding Jia tighter to his chest as he looked at Jongin’s mother putting on her jacket. “Jongin will be home any minute now. He said he’ll bring Italian.”

“As much as I’d love to stay, I’m afraid I have some work to do at home,” she said, and Kyungsoo hummed. She had told him last week that Jongin’s siter was coming home for the holidays. She probably wanted to prepare the rooms for her and her family, for Rahee and Raeon. “Call me if you need anything, my boy.”

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo smiled, supporting Jia in his arms when Jongin’s mother leaned down to place a soft kiss on her tiny head. She wriggled in his arms again.

He didn’t know how many times he had uttered those two words throughout the week. _Thank you_.

He really was grateful. He didn’t think he’d ever find a way to actually show his gratitude properly. Then again, both women seemed to immensely enjoy being here with them for this journey, around Jia. He was grateful for that as well.

The evenings were the best part of his day. When Jongin was back at home, orbiting around Jia at all times, playing with her and holding her, sitting with her on the couch and just looking at her with the biggest smile Kyungsoo had ever seen on his husband’s face.

He was such a fool for her, and it was warming Kyungsoo’s heart.

The evenings were the best part of his day. Jongin was at home, and the three of them were all together, and all work was forgotten and ignored.

All that mattered was their family.

* * *

“No, I haven’t seen the samples,” Kyungsoo spoke into the phone that was secured between his ear and shoulder. His neck was hurting already. He was trying to sort through the papers while Doyoung kept reporting to him with every missed phone call from the office and every contract deal, and every damn article that he was going to send him tonight. There were no layout samples in the folders, and he sighed. “Are you sure you sent them?”

“Yes,” Doyoung confirmed. “I gave them to Jongin’s driver last night. He should have dropped them off in your post box this morning.”

The sigh heaved on Kyungsoo’s chest as he moved to stand up from the couch. He threw a worried glance towards the living room where his mother was playing with Jia, coo-ing at her and preparing formula at the same time.

It was killing him that he still had those files to check before he could go back to his baby.

He slipped on Jongin’s flipflops and hugged the cardigan closer around himself as he opened the door. His feet were dragging and the bright sunlight bothered him as he moved to open the post box.

There were several thick packages in there, and the moment he picked them up, he knew they were the layout samples. He grabbed the smaller envelopes as well, before hurrying back into the house.

“I got them,” he said into the phone as he pulled out the papers from the first envelope. His eyes travelled over the layout designs with the printed mock articles. “Baekhyun already confirmed the colour-scheme?”

“He did,” Doyoung replied instantly. “But he’ll need you to check over the list of featured items. He will need a confirmation before tomorrow night in order to get the print for the mock-up. I compiled all your notes and put the list in one of the envelopes.”

Kyungsoo sighed out, nodding silently.

“Thank you, Doyoung. You’re a life-saver.”

“No problem,” Doyoung sounded rather cheerful. “I’ll send the rest to your email.”

“Don’t forget to put Luhan in CC. I want to confirm with Yixing that we’re still doing the joint feature.”

Kyungsoo craned his neck back when the phone call was over, throwing yet another look towards his mom and his baby. The last thing he wanted to do now was work.

But in order to go back to Jia as soon as possible, he needed to finish this first.

“Alright,” he mumbled mostly to himself, pulling the sleeves of the cardigan up his forearms. “Let’s get this over with.”

He pulled the envelopes closer, eyes flashing over the papers. He blinked at the smaller envelopes – a bill, another bill. A letter from their interior designer. Another bill.

He set those aside, before returning his full attention to all the envelopes with articles and layouts.

* * *

Kyungsoo was rather distraught that evening. His mother had left earlier today to travel back to their hometown. Jia was crying, and even after changing her diaper and feeding her, she still was antsy.

He was pacing back and forth with her in his arms, trying to calm her down.

His eyes shot towards the hallway when he heard the familiar click of the heavy doors opening.

He set his jaw tightly, setting Jia down in the crib for a little bit, as he grabbed the papers from the table and marched forward.

He reached the hallway just when Jongin appeared from there after setting his coat and briefcase aside.

His husband was smiling. He seemed tired, somewhat exhausted after work, but he was smiling.

“Hey-“

Kyungsoo raised the papers, effectively blocking Jongin from leaning down to kiss him like he did every single day after coming back.

“Explain.”

He watched Jongin blinking in confusion, eyes trying to focus on the paper.

“What’s that?” Jongin frowned, taking the paper from Kyungsoo’s hands. He lowered it a little, eyes travelling over the words as Kyungsoo tapped his foot on the hardwood floors impatiently. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, the frown deepening.

“It’s the bill statement for the interior design of the house,” Kyungsoo all but hissed, all straight leaving his body when he shook his head in disapproval. “You spent thirty grand on a couch!”

“Yeah,” Jongin said, eyes shooting back towards him. “It’s pretty, isn’t it?”

“It-…..Of course it’s fucking pretty, but you can’t just spend that much money on something just because of that. And the lamps?!” Kyungsoo’s voice rose, as the disbelief started pumping in his veins again. It had been hours since he read over the statement, and he still could not comprehend this. “Every goddamn lamp costs six thousand dollars. What were you _thinking_?!”

“Now, now, don’t scream,” Jongin slipped past him, and Kyungsoo frowned harder as he watched his husband approaching the crib and leaning over it to press his finger against Jia’s palm. The little one immediately stilled down, whatever was troubling her forgotten as she squeezed her tiny fingers around Jongin’s. “You’ll scare our daughter.”

Kyungsoo deflated a little at that, his arms tightening in front of his chest. His frown was very much prominent, when he approached his family.

“You’re a father now, Jongin. You should learn how to spend more rationally. What example would you be setting for her?!”

“First of all, she’s barely two weeks old. I don’t think I should be worrying about her perception of spending until she’s at least like, seven,” Jongin said, and Kyungsoo was about to argue with that again, but his husband beat him to it. His smile was charming, his eyebrows raised when he picked up Jia and held her close to his chest. The gaze in his eyes was loving as he stared at her. “Besides, in my defence, I was not a father yet when I was buying these.”

“That’s not the point,” Kyungsoo sighed, shaking his head again. “If you weren’t holding my daughter, I’d hit you.”

It was a blatant lie, and Kyungsoo knew it, and Jongin knew it as well.

Jongin’s smile just widened when he looked towards him.

“She’s _our_ daughter,” Jongin reminded and stepped towards Kyungsoo. He supported Jia on one of his hands, using the other to raise to Kyungsoo’s face. He brushed his thumb over his cheek. “Don’t be mad. I did it because I wanted the best home for all of us.”

It was hard to be mad when Jongin’s gaze was full of sincerity and when he was holding his cheek, pulling him closer bit by bit.

“You’re cute when you’re angry,” Jongin whispered against his lips, and Kyungsoo contemplated for a moment biting him or something, but he _was_ holding their daughter.

Besides, he could never really be mad at Jongin.

He pressed their lips together, a soft, sweet kiss for Welcome home.

“Just promise next time you decide to waste an entire year’s salary of a middle-class worker on a damn couch you’re gonna tell me first, alright?”

Jongin shone him a wide smile.

“I promise.”

Kyungsoo somehow felt like he was being blatantly lied to, but that was okay. He looked down at Jia who was smiling again, gurgling sounds slipping past her lips.

His smile bloomed too, involuntarily, as he watched her in Jongin’s strong arms.

His husband pulled him closer, and he raised his hand to let Jia play with his finger.

* * *

The loud cry resounded from the baby monitor next to the bed, and it was louder than any alarm they could have set in the morning.

Kyungsoo reached out blindly to grab the device. He felt Jongin shifting beside him.

He was so tired. His entire body was hurting, and he was so _exhausted_. Between working during the day, taking care of Jia, waking up in the middle of the night to feed her, they both were. The sleepless nights were taking their toll on them, topped off with all the work for VOGUE they were trying to complete at the same time.

Kyungsoo buried his face in the pillow and tossed the baby monitor towards Jongin. His husband let out a semblance of a whimper when the loud cry of their daughter rang straight in his ear.

“It’s Saturday,” Kyungsoo mumbled out groggily. “She’s _your_ daughter.”

He heard Jongin taking a deep breath, before he felt the bed shift underneath him. He heard Jongin shuffling his feet as he walked out of the room.

Kyungsoo rested his head back on the pillow, even Jia’s cried becoming a systematic and rhythmical sound in the background. Subconsciously, he smiled when the cries decreased over the baby monitor. He could hear Jongin cooing at her silently over the device, he could hear him mumbling soft and quiet words to her, barely audible.

The exhaustion was seeping through his bones, he felt quite boneless as he kept lying down. Sleep was waning on him, but didn’t quite fall over him again. He was listening to the vague sounds coming from the baby monitor.

Another loud shriek resounded through the room suddenly, and his eyes shot open again. A loud cry, followed by whiny sobs, mixed with Jongin’s quiet pleas and shushes.

Kyungsoo let out a sigh.

Another sleepless night it is, he supposed, as he pushed the blanket off himself and stood up from the bed.

He was rubbing at his eyes as he walked down the hallway towards the room with the streaming soft light.

He peeked through the doorway, freezing at the sight.

Jia was lying down at the changing table in the corner of the room, and Jongin was standing over her, arms not quite raised and now quite flailing, as if unsure what to do first. He was staring down with barely concealed horror in his eyes. He was mumbling inaudible things under his breath, as if trying to convince himself to just _do it_.

Kyungsoo almost laughed out loud at the sight.

Between him taking care of Jia during the day, or his mother, or Jongin’s mother coming over to look after her while he worked, Jongin had never had the chance to change her diaper.

Until now, Kyungsoo supposed, as he watched his husband facing yet another parenting hurdle. One that made him seem slightly less commanding, and a lot more confused.

“ _Why is it yellow?!”_

Kyungsoo couldn’t help the laugh now at Jongin’s quiet mumble. His husband’s eyes shot up, focusing on him behind the thick glasses. Relief spread on his face, as if his saviour had arrived.

“That’s normal,” Kyungsoo said, voice raspy from sleep. “It’s because of the formula.”

Jongin seemed to relax a little now, peering down at the dirty diaper. His nose was still scrunched, and Kyungsoo scoffed.

“Do you need help with that?”

Jongin looked at him for several long moments, then back towards Jia. His expression slowly changed, from actually contemplating it, to a tightly set jaw.

“No,” he decided, and Kyungsoo’s smile bloomed on his face again. “I want to try.”

“Okay,” Kyungsoo whispered, and leaned against the wall.

He watched as Jongin seemed to hesitate for a few more moments, before finally moving with a glint of determination in his eyes.

He grabbed Jia’s little legs, his one hand successfully wrapping around both her chubby little ankles, reaching all the way past her knees. She was so _tiny_.

Kyungsoo watched as Jongin slid the diaper away and grabbed the wipes, moving carefully, eyes focused on the task at hand.

Kyungsoo was ready to intercept at any moment with all the tips and tricks he had learned from their parents, but Jongin was doing rather well even without the instructions. It made him quite proud watching him from the side.

By the time Jongin had put on the clean diaper on Jia and cleaned everything up, her relentless cries had reduced to displeased gurgles and whines.

“You’re hungry, aren’t you?” Jongin cooed with a baby-like voice. Kyungsoo’s heart swelled at the sight of his husband poking Jia’s tummy gently. She let out a gurgling sound again, as if agreeing.

Jongin looked up at him, then, and Kyungsoo didn’t realize how wide he was smiling until Jongin mirrored that expression and grinned at him.

“That wasn’t so bad,” his husband said, as he picked up their baby, laying her across his chest and holding her close.

“You’re a natural,” Kyungsoo reached out to hold Jongin’s hand when he moved closer to him. He leaned down to kiss the back of Jia’s head, the scent of a fresh diaper and baby powder quite soothing and relaxing.

It took them another fifteen minutes to make the formula, to slowly feed it to Jia and put her back to sleep.

By the time they got back to bed, the first rays of sunshine were peeking over the horizon and filling their room with a soft golden glow through the large windows.

Jongin pulled him closer on the bed, and Kyungsoo’s body relaxed in his husband’s embrace. A soft sigh slipped past his lips at the gentle feeling of Jongin’s kisses littering the side of his neck and his fingers travelling down his arm, digging into his waist, stopping at his hip and pulling him closer.

He was in a state of delirium, somewhere between reality and sleep, but he was suddenly aware of everything when Jongin pressed up against him. There were certain _things_ he could feel pressing against his thigh, and he was suddenly very awake.

He turned his head to meet Jongin’s lips, the soft pecks suddenly becoming deeper and bolder, fingertips now pushing his shirt up and dancing over heated skin.

Jongin was hovering above him, and Kyungsoo’s chest was heaving, and he was surrounded by his husband and his scent, and the lust that had been gathering for _weeks_.

“Since we’re in bed anyways,” Jongin whispered against his lips, and Kyungsoo chuckled lightly, his arms wrapping around Jongin’s shoulders and legs twisting around Jongin’s hips to pull him down.

* * *

“Alright,” Jongin emerged from the wardrobe, finger busy buttoning up the cuffs of his sleeves. His tie was still undone. “I called the run-through for the morning, and have the editor meeting right after that, so we’ll be done by lunchtime. Is that alright?”

Kyungsoo nodded, gathering the last designs he had in his briefcase. He needed to get everything to Doyoung today and arrange the meeting with the manufacturers for samples.

“Perfect,” Kyungsoo clapped his hands. “We’ll drop off Jia at your mom’s place, and after the meeting I’m going to get her and bring her to the doctor’s. I’m going to buy a humidifier later, with your sister.”

“You’re meeting my sister?” Jongin asked, surprised but not really shocked.

“Yes. And I also invited them over for dinner,” Kyungsoo informed him, and Jongin just hummed. Kyungsoo’s eyes shot up towards him. “You’ll be back by then, right?”

“If nothing else shows up, I’ll be home after my meeting with Yixing, so about three.”

Kyungsoo almost sighed out. That would be nice. Having Jongin for the entire afternoon.

“Perfect,” Kyungsoo straightened, and closed his eyes for a moment, stretching his neck. He threw a look towards his husband, who had just finished the knot on his tie.

His hair was styled, as usual, and his jaw was as sharp as ever. His lips plump, his eyes beautiful.

“Looking sharp, Mr. Kim,” Kyungsoo whispered as he walked over to his husband, fingers sliding down the black tie, fixing the clip. Jongin’s arms immediately found their way to his hips, pulling him closer.

Their lips collided in a slow kiss, deep and intimate, and Kyungsoo’s fingers spread on Jongin’s chest, feeling his beating heart under his fingertips.

“What can I say?” Jongin said when they broke apart, a boyish smirk pulling on the side of his lips. “Woke up on a rather positive note today.”

Kyungsoo blushed madly at the implication of this morning’s shower, and Jongin just laughed again. He leaned down to press a quick peck on the tip of his nose.

“It will be a good day.”

Kyungsoo’s fingers squeezed Jongin’s arms one last time, before he stepped back.

“I’ll go check Jia’s bag, you get her. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

Kyungsoo was in the middle of double-checking that there was enough formula, and that he had packed enough spare diapers for her short stay at her grandma’s house, before pulling out the baby car seat.

He was ready just as he heard Jongin walked down the stairs with Jia in his arms, that same fool’s smile stretching his lips as he looked at her and spoke nonsense in a baby voice.

“Everything’s packed,” Kyungsoo clapped his hands, and Jongin pulled Jia closer to his chest, palm supporting the back of her head.

“Did you get the contracts from the table?”

“Yep,” Kyungsoo confirmed, closing the bag and looking at Jongin with a bright smile.

He watched as his husband moved to put Jia down on the car seat, but before he could even lower her down, he stilled down. Kyungsoo blinked at the loud gurgling sound, followed by a shallow burp. The sound that followed after that left no doubt as to what had happened.

Jongin’s gasp was low and quiet, as he picked up Jia, holding her up in his arms and away from his now dirty suit.

She had thrown up on his shoulder, the thrown up milk streaming down the sleek and polished Brioni suit, getting all over the lapels and the tie.

Kyungsoo winced, as he reached out to grab Jia, producing a napkin out of the bag he had just prepared. He threw a look up at Jongin.

Jongin, who was just standing there, staring down at the ruined suit quietly, like his soul had left his body. Kyungsoo couldn’t help but laugh.

Jongin moved then, as if snapped out of his daze.

His eyebrows were raised, and his shoulders were slumped in defeat. There was a hint of a desperate smile on his lips.

“I’ll go change,” he announced, and his heavy sigh made Kyungsoo laugh again.

* * *

“You should seriously change your delivery address, because we keep getting brand packages with baby gifts, and we don’t have space down in the wardrobes to be storing luxury bibs.”

Krystal’s announcement was rather loud as she barged into the room with two of her assistants trailing after he, pushing in the stands with the clothes for the run-through.

No one replied anything to that. Jongin just threw a sharp look towards her over the papers he was reviewing, before going back to reading through the contract clauses.

“Bring me two more pairs of those,” Kyungsoo turned to Mark, showing him the tall, brown boots. “We should have them in black and grey too.”

“Look at you,” Baekhyun said from the side, a teasing grin already spreading on his features as his eyes landed on Kyungsoo. “Back at work. Looking clean and strong.

“What were you expecting?” Kyungsoo scoffed, handing Haechan one of the accessory boxes. “It’s not like I’m the one who was pregnant for nine months.”

“No, but you do have a little human to take care of every single day. I was almost expecting you to show up in Uggs and with messy bed hair.”

“You’ve seen way too many movies,” Kyungsoo concluded, absolutely refusing to entertain Baekhyun with the fact that today was probably the first time in weeks he had bothered dressing up, and that maybe his imagery wasn’t too far off from what reality was when he was at home. He was truly a wreck. He was pretty sure he had been wearing the same hoodie for at least two weeks now.

Jongin finished with the contract then, and with one sharp command, all unnecessary comments and chatter ceased, and the run-through began.

It was rather quiet today, and everything was running quite smoothly. Kyungsoo kept throwing glances towards Jongin, occasionally seeing him stifle yawns. He was also hiding his exhaustion behind boxed with shoes or heavy necklaces. Seulgi caught him yawning once though, and she smiled at him knowingly from the little podium as Krystal moved to change her dress.

By the time the run through had finished and they’d moved to the conference hall for the meeting, Jongin had asked Haechan to go get him a latte. Not a matcha tea one. A normal one.

A development that was somewhat endearing, yet sad, as Kyungsoo realized that his husband needed the caffeine to stay sharp at work.

The meeting started and they were discussing all the topics for the next issue. They went over the layouts and the sponsored items, over the photoshoot locations and the teams responsible for the booking of the spots.

“Call Accounting and see if we can fit this in the budget for this month,” Jongin handed Mark another paper, as his assistant madly scribbled down everything he could hear. Jongin’s eyes were blinking more than usual as he tried his best to focus on the files he had just received on his iPad. Kyungsoo straightened a little when he saw a crease forming between his eyebrows. “Where’s the holiday gift guide article for the website?”

Kyungsoo looked back down to the table and his own notes. He wasn’t involved in the culture department’s works, but he could hear the havoc wreaking on the other side of the table where three different editors lunged down to check their iPads and notes, to flip through the folders they were carrying.

“I thought you didn’t want this published?” Junmyeon sighed out as he kept looking through the papers. He looked almost scared when he dared look towards Jongin. “I’m pretty sure I told the writers it’s not a priority.”

Everyone around the table suddenly grew silent. Everyone present knew that if the editor-in-chief did not receive the articles he had asked for on time, he usually didn’t have the kindest responses. Usually the situation to follow involved a lot of snide and passive aggression, sometimes rather aggressive aggression.

Every pair of eyes was pinned on Jongin, waiting for the verdict.

He just sighed, resting his chin on his hand on the table, the glasses riding low on his nose.

“Just get it done by tonight,” he concluded.

Kyungsoo wasn’t really surprised. Or maybe he was just too tired to be surprised. He was not, however, blind.

He could see the editors across the table sharing confused glances, no one daring to speak or say anything else, afraid not to turn their luck around.

Everyone, except for Baekhyun, of course.

“Huh,” the art director scoffed loudly. “Seems like I was completely wrong. The baby _is_ good for you!”

Okay. That caught Kyungsoo’s attention. He looked towards his friend with narrowed eyes and knitted eyebrows, trying to brace himself for whatever bullshit Baekhyun would undoubtedly sprout, judging by the stupid smirk pulling on his lips anyways.

Jongin, too, seemed rather exasperated as he looked up from his iPad, chin still rested against his palm. His eyebrows were raised lightly.

Baekhyun had never seemed jollier in the entire eight years that Kyungsoo had known him for.

“Don’t you agree? I like his energy,” Baekhyun tapped his pen on the table before pointing it towards Jongin. “He doesn’t have any.”

Kyungsoo just rolled his eyes when Baekhyun snickered at his own joke.

Jongin shook his head, pushing the glasses up his nose, as he set the iPad down.

“Enough nonsense,” he said, and his voice was strong and final. The gaze in his eyes was sharp and direct, back to the gaze of the editor-in-chief who didn’t have time for banters and jokes. “We’ve got work to do.”

* * *

That night, when their guests finally left, and it was just them at home, Kyungsoo could finally relax.

Jongin had decided to put Jia to sleep, so he took his time washing the exhaustion away with a warm shower.

By the time he finished, it was already nearing midnight, and he laughed ironically that maybe he didn’t even need to go to sleep. He’d have to get up in an hour or so to feed Jia again.

But that was entirely alright. It wasn’t a burden. It was just now a part of their life, for the next few months at least. And that was okay.

Every single moment they shared with their little girl was precious, even if it meant perpetual back pain and dark circles. It was all worth it in the moments she grabbed their fingers tightly, or when they heard a loud gurgle followed by a tiny, precious smile. It made all of this worth it.

He stretched his arms, before walking back into the bedroom.

Jongin was already in bed, and by the looks of it, he was already asleep.

A warm smile spread on Kyungsoo’s face at the sight. His husband was half sitting, half lying down, back perched on a few stacked pillows. His glasses were riding low on his nose.

Kyungsoo rounded the bed silently, raising his hand to gently remove the glasses from Jongin’s face, fingers moving to push the hair out of his eyes. He couldn’t help himself, as he leaned down to press a soft kiss to his forehead.

He moved to leave the glasses on the beside table, where the baby monitor’s green lights were shining in the dark room.

There, on the nightstand, were VOGUE’s mock-up magazine and a parenting book on top of it.

He snuggled into bed then, crawling closer to Jongin and wrapping his arm around his husband. He buried his face in his chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart.

He had never fallen asleep faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah, this took a while! I am so sorry, but as you may know if you're following me on twt, I've been incredibly busy with university and work. It's really a huge workload this semester, and I'm truly sorry I didn't have the time to update sooner!
> 
> But I decided to take some time off from writing papers and projects during the holidays, so here I am! I finally wrote something haha
> 
> I hope this update could make you smile, and fill you up with some positive energy during the holiday season!
> 
> Let me know what you thought, and until next time~


	3. One

There were another three parcels in the delivery guy’s arms, and Kyungsoo couldn’t help the sigh building up in his chest as he reached out to grab them after signing. He pushed the door closed with his foot after giving the man a half-hearted smile, before finally letting the sigh slip past his lips.

The sight that met him when he walked into the living room was the same as two minutes ago when he’d left.

Jongin was leaning over Jia’s crib, a fool’s smile plastered on his lips as he rattled a toy in front of her. She was responding with gurgling sounds and gummy smiles. Every time she moved, entertained by the sounds the toy was making, Jongin laughed along with her. His eyes were shining as he reached down to stretch her chubby arm or poke at her kicking legs. That only brought on more smiles. Jia was reaching out with her tiny arms towards the rattling toy.

Kyungsoo stopped at the doorstep, the fondness spreading inside him and erasing all annoyance he might have felt in the past few minutes.

Jongin’s soft hair was pushed back, the glasses resting on top of his head, only a few strands of brown slipping through and falling over his handsome face. His smile was so wide. Maybe Kyungsoo was just too deep in love, but Jongin was glowing brighter than the sun. His white shirt’s sleeves were pulled up as he leaned over the crib again, lost in Jia’s world. He didn’t even notice Kyungsoo had returned, until he stepped forward, setting the boxes on the table. Then, finally, he broke his gaze away from their daughter and looked at him instead.

“Who was that?”

“Chanel,” Kyungsoo clicked his tongue, looking down at the boxes. His eyes scanned the boldly printed fonts. “Burberry. And I don’t know the third one. Must be a small brand.”

Jongin let out a hum, his jawline prominent as he turned back to Jia. He reached out to tug on her chubby leg lightly.

“Do you hear that, princess? You got more presents. Who’s gonna be the most fashionable baby out there?” Jongin’s dazzling smile bloomed on his face again when Jia gurgled in response. “That’s _right_.”

Kyungsoo just sighed again, rolling his eyes when Jongin indulged Jia (or himself) and started cooing and making weird faces again. He washed his hands quickly, throwing a look over the frae of his glasses towards the couch.

“You have to find a way to stop all this,” he ended up saying eventually, dragging himself back to the couch. He plopped down next to Jongin. “It’s been almost three months, and they keep sending her clothes.”

“So? It’s Chanel, it means they made it specially for her.”

Kyungsoo threw his husband a quick glare _. Of course_ Jongin wasn’t seeing the problem here.

“It’s _unnecessary_. Her wardrobe is already bigger than mine was before I started working for VOGUE-“

“That’s not particularly hard to achiev- _Ow!_ ” Jongin recoiled when Kyungsoo’s elbow landed below his ribs. His smile remained unfazed though, as he quickly quirked an eyebrow.

“She’s three months old, Jongin. She’s gonna outgrow all of those before she even gets to wear them all,” Kyungsoo sniffed. “It’s such a waste. Besides, we don’t have any more space in the nursery for all of it.”

“Guess daddy’s jealous,” Jongin coo-ed at Jia again, and Kyungsoo just rolled his eyes, resting back on the couch and leaning his head against Jongin’s shoulder.

He just let out a breath, the smile tugging on his lips. The room was filled with the sounds of Jia’s gurgles, Jongin’s laughter and the loud rattles of the colourful toy.

It was a warm summer day, but it was another warmth that took over Kyungsoo’s body as he leaned back and felt pure happiness filling him up as he watched his family.

* * *

Exactly one week later, on an unusually calm Saturday, Jongin brought out the ridiculously expensive stroller he had bought a few weeks earlier.

To say Kyungsoo was excited would be an understatement. Up until now, they’d only brought Jia outside in their yard. But the sun’s rays were harsh, so even those little outings were short and controlled. And now, for the first time, they were going to go out to the park together. As a family. Kyungsoo didn’t even mind the fifty minutes Jongin spent in Jia’s closet, going through all the tiny dresses and onesies she had.

“Look how pretty,” Jongin picked up Jia, now dressed in a baby pink Fendi dress that was still a little too wide for her. He tiny feet dangled as he held her up, the ruffles on her socks making her look like a living doll.

“Okay, Rafiki,” Kyungsoo stepped closer, picking up their daughter. She let out a little sound when he rested her against his chest, arms circling around her naturally as he held her tight. “Don’t forget to get a hat. The sun’s still too bright.”

“Got it,” Jongin grabbed the hat and sunglasses that were prepared on the dresser. “I also packed extra diapers, tissues, powder and sanitizer. I even prepared a second outfit. Just in case.”

“Good boy,” Kyungsoo shone him a smile, and Jongin just grinned. “Let’s go.”

Kyungsoo was giddy in the car, throwing glances towards the baby seat and Jia lulling her head from side to side, occasionally making sounds. Then he’d look towards Jongin, his sunglasses pushing his growing hair back, the lines of his face as sharp as ever. In his white shirt, tucked into khaki shorts that reached his knees, he looked like a preppy student. The thought almost made Kyungsoo laugh out loud, as he leaned his head against the window and remembered their beautiful trip to Cebu. It had been years but Jongin still looked the same.

From the moment they stepped out of the car, people started throwing curious glances towards them. He didn’t know exactly what the reason was. Maybe Jongin’s shiny black car. Maybe the expensive stroller. Or maybe it was something they were wearing? Honestly, after all those years he had sort of become unsensitized to the way Jongin looked to strangers. Maybe even this casual look seemed extravagant in the eyes of others. Kyungsoo didn’t know. He didn’t care.

He threw the light cover over Jia, just in case, as they started walking through the park. Jongin was pushing the stroller, and Kyungsoo was walking next to him. He felt so relaxed and just so happy to be spending some free time with his family. There was nothing else he could wish for.

“I’ll be gone for three days next week,” Jongin said at some point when Jia’s head had lulled to the side, as she fell into slumber. Her cheeks were puffy, and Kyungsoo made sure to adjust the stroller so the sun would not reach her. He just threw a quick look towards Jongin. “I need to go to Taiwan with Baekhyun.”

“Okay,” Kyungsoo shrugged. He just leaned closer to Jongin, arm snaking around his elbow as he just sighed out in content. The sun’s rays felt soft and warm on his skin. He didn’t remember the last time he’d been this relaxed.

“My mom can come by and watch over Jia again,” Jongin continued. “Or my sister. She’s gonna be in town next week. She was asking about you actually.”

“Yeah?” Kyungsoo smiled absentmindedly. He missed Jongin’s sister. It had been a while since they’d met.

“The kids are also curious about meeting their cousin,” Jongin’s smile was audible in how light his voice sounded. “I’m not sure that’d be the best idea though.”

“You’re too paranoid,” Kyungsoo tugged on Jongin’s arm briefly. “She’ll be fine. We’ll talk about it later. I still need to check my schedule for next week with Doyoung.”

“Alright.”

They kept strolling through the park slowly. It was a beautiful day and the longer they walked, the better Kyungsoo felt. Like all the exhaustion from a week’s worth of work and sleepless nights was finally leaving his body.

“I love this,” he ended up sighing when they sat down at an empty bench away from where the bigger crowds were, under the shade of some large oak trees and close to one of the bubbling fountains. His hand slid into Jongin’s, fingers naturally fitting between his husband’s, as they hands moulded together. “It’s been so long since we finally had some free time to ourselves like this.”

Even after all these years, Kyungsoo’s heart still fluttered pleasantly in his chest when Jongin pulled him closer and planted a quick kiss to his cheek.

“Maybe after I come back from Taiwan, we can do something,” Jongin whispered, holding him close. “Just you and me. We can go somewhere for the weekend. _Alone_.”

“Shh, quiet,” Kyungsoo closed his eyes, resting his head on Jongin’s shoulder. “Jia will hear you.”

His husband leaned closer to the stroller.

“Would you mind, princess? If I steal daddy for a few days?” Jia was still sleeping peacefully, her tiny little fingers curling into fists from time to time. Jongin just leaned back on the bench, a smirk on his face as he threw an arm over Kyungsoo’s shoulders. “See? She doesn’t mind. That’s my girl.”

“Shut up,” Kyungsoo mumbled quietly, just pulling Jongin closer and shutting his eyes again. He breathed in deeply, enjoying the warmth and the faint scent of Jongin’s shampoo.

He couldn’t help the excitement that was bubbling in his chest just thinking about running away with Jongin, even if it was just for a couple of days. Yes, they had a baby now, and their priorities in life had shifted. They had a daughter, they had work. And it was amazing.

Yet, a part of him still craved for only Jongin. Just being with him, away, _together_.

Maybe they could indulge. It wouldn’t be the most horrible thing they could do. Right?

They started walking around the park again after a while. They bought ice cream and walked with their arms linked. Jongin was pushing the stroller proudly, as they walked past groups of people throwing them curious glances.

Jia started shifting at some point, big round eyes looking up at the blue sky curiously. She was grabbing at the small toys discarded at the side of the stroller.

It was only when the sun started slowly setting, the sky becoming a golden orange, when their entire beautiful day crumbled.

It started with a grimace pulling on a tiny mouth, followed by some more shifting. Then a piercing cry broke through the serenity of the park’s silence.

“ _Shh_ ,” Kyungsoo whispered, feeling the panic rising the louder Jia’s cries got. Jongin started walking faster, moving the stroller away from the alley where all those people were now looking at them, throwing annoyed glances. He picked up the rattling toy and shook it in front of Jia, hoping that would distract her.

He felt his heart dropping to his feet as she only wailed even louder. He hurried to dive forward when Jongin stopped the stroller at an empty bench. Jia’s diaper was clean, so he ended up stretching his arm out.

“Formula.”

Jongin almost stumbled over his own feet as he leaned down to grab the changing bag. Within seconds, he bottle was in Kyungsoo’s hand.

Jia went silent for about a total of two seconds, before making another grimace, dodging the bottle and crying even louder.

“People are staring,” Jongin remarked. If Kyungsoo didn’t know any better, he’d say his husband sounded nervous. But when he threw a glance towards him he saw Jongin standing tall and outright glaring back at those strangers who dared pry with their annoyed gazes. Most had the decency to look away and hurry on their way. Kyungsoo almost scoffed. If he wasn’t panicking because his daughter was crying so loudly, he’d actually be impressed by how insolently authoritative Jongin managed to look even outside of VOGUE’s headquarters sometimes.

Kyungsoo reached out to pick up Jia, resting her against his chest. He threw the light blanket over her as he started shifting his weight from leg to leg, trying to calm her down.

But she was not calming down. Kyungsoo had now long ago stopped caring about the strangers looking at them. He was instead throwing panicked glances towards Jongin.

“She’s not hungry, it’s not the diaper,” he shook his head almost helplessly. “I don’t _know_.”

“Maybe it’s all the sounds,” Jongin sighed, throwing another glare towards the people chatting around them. The distant sounds of cars were also reaching them. Jia let out another piercing cry. “Maybe we should head back to the car.”

Kyungsoo just held his baby closer, his heart constricting every time she wailed in his arms. He nodded urgently, as Jongin leaned down to gather everything back in the bag.

“Try gently pressing her belly,” Kyungsoo whipped his head around at the sound of a woman’s voice. A lady was standing close to them, a little toddler holding on to her hand, as she gave them a compassionate smile. “It might be colic.”

Kyungsoo blinked quickly at the stranger. Jongin had straightened up too, a rather confused look on his face as he peered from the woman to Kyungsoo.

Another loud cry from Jia dragged them back to reality, and Kyungsoo sighed. He held her in his arms and rested his palm on her tummy. His hand was almost bigger than her entire belly. He pressed down gently, just the slightest bit, eyes wider as he watched her little lips twisting as she cried.

And then, after a few gently rolls of his palm, the cries subdued from piercing wails to little whimpers until eventually, the only sound coming from Jia were the occasional gurgles.

He felt the relief filling him up as he threw a look towards the woman.

“ _Thank you!_ ” Jongin beat him to it, his voice light and breathy.

“It’s alright,” the woman shrugged and looked down to her child. “I’ve been through it too. She’ll be alright.”

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo repeated after his husband, hoping the relief he felt was also audible in his voice. The woman just smiled.

“And be careful with the blanket,” she nodded towards the cover wrapped loosely around Jia. “It _is_ summer, after all.”

Jongin caught the blanket when Kyungsoo tossed it towards him. He moved his palm on Jia’s belly again, watching her face relaxing. Peace took over his chest again, and he smiled.

“She’s very cute,” the stranger coo-ed then, and Kyungsoo looked from the woman back down to their daughter.

His smile morphed into something proud then, and happiness filled him up again when Jongin wrapped an arm around his shoulders and held him and Jia closer.

She was the _cutest_.

* * *

Sadly, there was no time to run away with Jongin after he came back from his business trip in Taiwan. It had only brought more work for all of them, and all of that had to be taken care of first before they could even consider a small vacation.

Which meant longer working hours, and inevitably – a lot of headaches as they were trying to figure out just how to schedule everything so Jia could be with them. They couldn’t have Jongin’s mother or sister always looking after her, they had their own responsibilities too. Kyungsoo’s parents were not even in Seoul now.

And then, despite all their brainstorming, they had ended up with the one option Kyungsoo had not been particularly looking forward to. Bringing her to the office.

At first it was alright – everybody seemed entertained, swarming around the baby and coo-ing. All those models were squealing around Jia, writers were passing by and making faces at her, trying to make her crack a smile. Minseok took some pictures of her, and the flash of his big camera had made her cry.

But that joy in the office only lasted less than a week. People were busy, and hearing the occasional crying of a distraught baby was probably not the best working environment for all those writers working under Jongin’s constant (and slightly threatening) reminders about impending deadlines.

But still. This was Kim Jia. No one dared say anything because she was the editor-in-chief’s daughter.

“I didn’t know Burberry made infant clothes,” Yeri coo-ed when she walked into Jongin’s large office, blond hair tied up in a messy bun. She was ready for the run-through. She reached out to run a perfectly manicured finger down Jia’s chubby arm. “So cute.”

“Yeah, _adorable_ ,” Krystal appeared from the side with a scoff. “Get up there. Jongin will be here in a minute, we need to get you in the first outfit.”

Kyungsoo just rolled his eyes, balancing Jia in his arms as his eyes ran over the displayed belts.

“Are those all?” he asked, feeling the crease between his eyebrows forming. “I thought we requested two red ones.”

“They couldn’t deliver them by today,” Baekhyun sighed. He sounded tired. “They’ll get here on Friday. We have them in blue. Jongin will just have to use his imagination.”

Before Kyungsoo could even reply, Jongin walked into his office with her perfectly styled hair. He was wearing a dark turtleneck despite the warm summer day, tucked into wide beige trousers. As always, he looked flawless, the cloud of seriousness surrounding him as he scanned the room.

He walked over to Kyungsoo, and leaned down, placing a quick and soft kiss to the crown of Jia’s head, messing up the thin black strands of baby hair.

“Let’s start,” he said then, leaning against his desk and twisting his arms in front of his chest.

Outfit after outfit, Yeri kept changing clothes for what seemed like hours. Editors were running around the office, everyone throwing in their opinions. Jongin’s eyes were as sharp as his remarks.

“Do we have a tie?” Jongin asked, and Kyungsoo shifted out of Krystal’s way before he and his baby would get trampled. “And a bucket hat for the other outfit?”

Hat. Right. That was his job. Jongin was currently holding about five different contracts in his hands, eyes scanning the pages, and Kyungsoo just sighed.

Baekhyun looked entirely too free in the corner, so Kyungsoo just approached him. The art director gave him a warning look. Kyungsoo glared back.

Baekhyun’s mouth opened in protest, but before a word could come out, Kyungsoo had placed Jia in his hold. He watched as Baekhyun’s eyes sparkled, and he gave him yet another look when he recognized the intention to argue and complain. Kyungsoo just glared again. _Not now_ , his eyes screamed. Baekhyun just let out a soundless huff.

“We don’t have a bucket hat, but we have three different berets and a straw hat.”

“Let me see the berets.”

As Kyungsoo dove down to pick up the hats, several things happened at once. A loud piercing cry, a surprised exclamation and the sound of papers rustling.

Kyungsoo immediately looked towards the corner where Baekhyun was holding a now squirming Jia. He seemed surprised, obviously uncomfortable with how the baby was shifting in his arms. Jongin had looked up from the papers in his arms too, assessing the situation.

“Here,” Kyungsoo picked up the berets once he was sure that Baekhyun would not start complaining. “I like the one from Marine Serre, but this one is also not bad.”

“I like the chain,” Junmyeon commented.

Jongin looked from Baekhyun to the berets, then to Yeri, his eyes sharp and calculating.

“Let’s try both, see what looks better.”

Krystal was in the middle of attaching the beret with pins on Yeri’s head, when another sudden sound resounded in the otherwise silent office.

A sudden coughing sound, followed by a loud and sharp inhale.

“Oh, _hell_ ,” Baekhyun hissed and Kyungsoo turned to look at him again. He blinked quickly at the sight of Baekhyun’s wide open mouth as he still held Jia. His eyebrows were furrowed deeply, a crease between them deeper than anything Kyungsoo had ever seen on his friend’s face. There was a rather prominent streak of white on the front of his suit.

Jongin seemed to assess the situation faster than him, because he moved forward swiftly and picked up their daughter from Baekhyun’s arms. Haechan appeared beside him almost miraculously, producing a box of tissues in front of the editor-in-chief and his art director.

Baekhyun had a rather displeased scowl as he started tapping at the thrown-up formula on the front of his blazer, while Jongin was too busy wiping Jia’s face.

“We just started feeding her pureed stuff last week,” Jongin said nonchalantly. “She is still getting used to it.”

“ _Yeah_ ,” Baekhyun scoffed, finally straightening, and pursing his lips. He seemed almost regretful as his eyes pinned Jongin down, but there was also something daring about his gaze. “I really hate to be the one to break it to you, but you can’t turn the office into a day-care centre.”

Kyungsoo just pulled his lower lip between his teeth as he approached Baekhyun and gave him a wet wipe. Everyone else around them was silent, and Baekhyun really did seem like he didn’t want to say this, but he just set his jaw and continued.

“We have work to do, we have deadlines. The board won’t be happy if we can’t finish everything on time. And don’t get me wrong, I _love_ her,” Baekhyun jugged his chin towards Jia, letting out a sigh. He shook his head. “But the office is not a place for a baby.”

It was silent in the room for a few very long, very suffocating moments. Junmyeon looked at Baekhyun like he had lost his mind. Krystal just kept throwing worried glances towards Jongin, judging by the shift in her eyebrows, she was not particularly looking forward to the outburst.

But no outburst followed.

Instead, Jongin just straightened up, holding Jia close to his chest. He did the last thing everyone expected him to do. He smiled.

“I’ll go get her cleaned up. You continue. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Baekhyun looked rather surprised as Jongin headed for the door. Krystal seemed rather shocked, while Junmyeon just seemed relieved that they’d dodged a tornado.

Only after Jongin was out of the room did everyone move again. Baekhyun peered down at his clothes, leaning against the arched doorway.

“YOU OWE ME A NEW SUIT,” he screamed after Jongin. Kyungsoo just smiled as he saw Jongin waving his hand over his head. “IT BETTER BE A GOOD ONE!”

The glass doors of the editor-in-chief’s office closed then, and Kyungsoo let out a breath. He watched as Baekhyun shimmied out of his blazer and dropped it to the ground. He clapped his hands then.

“Alright, let’s continue.”

* * *

That night, after Jia had fallen asleep, Kyungsoo curled closer to Jongin on their bed, as his husband released yet another sigh.

“We need a nanny.”

Kyungsoo just scrunched up his nose.

“I don’t want a nanny taking care of our daughter,” he said quickly, and Jongin didn’t seem particularly surprised to hear that. He just nodded with a grim expression and tightly shut jaw. “I can maybe take some more time off work.”

“That’s out of the question,” Jongin interrupted quickly. “None of the intern writers are even close enough to being hired, and none of the writers can do what you do.”

In any other situation, that would have been really sweet and satisfying to hear. Now, however, Kyungsoo only brought his hands up to his face, rubbing at his eyes tiredly.

“I guess I can call my parents again, see if they can come up to Seoul again for a while.”

Jongin seemed tired.

“Can you?” he sighed. “We can drop her off at my mom’s place tomorrow, I already talked to her. She can look after her this week, except Friday.”

Kyungsoo nodded.

“That’s good. At least we have this week covered,” he reached out to close Jongin’s laptop. His husband didn’t protest as he set it aside and threw an arm over his middle. Instead, he just set his glasses aside on the nightstand, fingers wrapping around Kyungsoo’s arm. “Let’s take it one day at a time.”

“One day at a time,” Jongin agreed, leaning down.

Kyungsoo met him for a kiss he didn’t realize he had been craving so desperately. The moment Jongin’s lips parted and he felt the soft touch of his husband, all worried evaporated from his mind and all that existed in this world was Jongin.

His heart was beating under Kyungsoo’s fingertips as he closed his eyes and emersed himself in the warmth of Jongin’s hug.

The exhaustion crept up on them quickly, and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

* * *

The weeks were passing quickly. Between work, taking care of Jia and finding the time to make their battle plans every day, time was flying. Their parents were taking care of Jia while they were working. Some days, when they had no other options, they did bring her to the office as a last resort.

After the sixth month, her tantrums became more frequent. They both felt hopeless every time she cried her eyes out, grabbing at their fingers and every toy she could reach, gnawing. Teething, the paediatrician informed them rather happily. She was teething, and Kyungsoo imaged how uncomfortable that was for their little baby girl as they had to spend hours on end trying to calm her down in the evenings with pacifiers and toys she could chew on.

He also had to remind Jongin to get something _extra_ good for their parents this holiday season. Kyungsoo had no idea how he could express his gratitude for everything they were doing.

Another few weeks later, after an abrupt meeting with foreign investors, Kyungsoo had to look for a quick solution for someone to look after Jia for the day.

A large sushi set and a promise to give him Wendy’s number had been a good enough bribe to get Jongdae to take care of her. The entire day, Kyungsoo kept checking his phone, squirming in his own seat, worried that something would go wrong. But in the evening, when they went over to pick up Jia, it almost seemed like Jongdae didn’t want to let go of her.

“She’s an angel,” he’d said, making a face at her. Jia let out a giggle. “Bring her again sometime.”

“Thanks, Jongdae,” Jongin reached out to tap the other’s shoulder, and Jongdae just grinned at them.

And time just kept flying. Jia was outgrowing all those onesies and little dresses faster than Kyungsoo expected. He hair was growing thicker. The first lower two teeth were already peeking when she smiled at them, and Kyungsoo could not wrap his mind around it. It seemed surreal.

With fall passing in the blink of an eye and the alleys of the park becoming golden with fallen leaves, the cold came. The Christmas season was approaching, which meant the work at the magazine was crazier than ever with new collections dropping ang sponsorships and advertisements rolling in every day.

Jia could sit straight by herself now, without the support of pillows. She was also crawling in her crib, and Kyungsoo just wished time could stop. She was growing too fast, and he regretted not being there for every single second of it.

“Put up the reflectors there!” Minseok’s voice was loud, echoing in the large hall. “ _No_ , on the other side of the projector! _What_ are you doing?!”

Kyungsoo moved out of the photographer’s way when he went to fix the equipment himself. He threw an entertained look behind him.

“Confirm the meeting for tomorrow,” he said to Doyoung who was following behind him. “Also you said some manufacturers wanted to meet me?”

“They’re wondering why you’re not sending them new designs. You should submit something soon for the Spring Summer plans.”

Kyungsoo tried hard not to wince. On top of everything, there was also his brand. He didn’t know where he would find the time for all of this.

“Okay,” he ended up sighing. “Okay, arrange a meeting with the designers.”

“Maybe you should think about hiring a creative director,” Doyoung remarked and Kyungsoo sighed. He had thought about it over the past few months. Maybe with Jia and his editorial work in VOGUE, he really had to consider it eventually.

“Just make the appointments first. I’ll think about it.”

“Alright,” Doyoung shrugged, lowering the iPad. “You want a coffee or something? You look tired.”

“An espresso sounds good. Get a latte for Jongin too, please.”

Kyungsoo smiled as Doyoung just nodded and started walking away. A life saviour, really.

He breathed in deeply, hugging the folder to his chest, as he looked around the photoshoot set.

Jongin was standing behind the monitors with Minseok, his hair messed up from him running his fingers through it every few minutes. He was motioning towards the set, explaining something about the decors.

Most of the models were still getting their makeup done. The others were mostly gathered around Chanyeol, who was playing with Jia. She was sitting in his lap and he was holding her, making funny faces at her. Seulgi was behind him, playing peekaboo with his daughter.

Sehun was there too, a few steps away, leaning against the wall with his arms twisted in front of his chest. He’d throw glances towards Jia and how Chanyeol was coo-ing, and he’d roll his eyes every now and then. Kyungsoo just laughed when he saw Sehun trying to suppress the smile and when he rolled his eyes again instead.

And he spotted Baekhyun then. He was supposed to be fixing his line’s items on the models. Instead, he was standing in the dark corner of the set, eyebrows furrowed in something between horror and fascination as he stared at Chanyeol playing with Jia.

“What are you doing here,” Kyungsoo approached him. He lifted the folder. “Here’s the list of guests for the Christmas party. Jongin wants you to double-check if your investors are on it.”

Baekhyun took the folder wordlessly, eyes still not tearing away from the sight in front of them. Kyungsoo followed his gaze to see Chanyeol letting Jia touch the large rings he was wearing. She seemed fascinated, trying to pull them off. Chanyeol just curled his fingers, smiling entirely too wide.

“What?” Kyungsoo repeated, looking back to Baekhyun who pursed his lips. The art director shook his head.

“It worries me how much he likes that.”

Kyungsoo just tilted his head, looking at the unsettled look in Baekhyun’s eyes softening when Chanyeol pretended the ring disappeared after dropping it in his sleeve. Jia’s tiny fingers wrapped around one of Chanyeol’s large fingers in wonder.

Kyungsoo leaned on the wall beside Baekhyun, seeing right through that mask of his. He raised an eyebrow.

“When are you two getting married anyways?! You’ve been engaged forever.”

“Not until I’m sure he doesn’t want one of those,” Baekhyun scoffed.

It was Kyungsoo’s turn to roll his eyes. He looked at Baekhyun and how his eyes were sparkling as Chanyeol continued playing with Jia in front of them.

Yes, he did seem scared, but there was also love written all over his expression, dripping from his eyes.

“You’re so full of shit.”

Baekhyun didn’t even argue back, for once. He just tightened his arms and kept staring.

* * *

Several weeks before her first birthday, Jia had taken her first wobbly steps.

Jongin had screamed and Kyungsoo had thought something was wrong, looking up from his book that evening to see Jia standing on shaky feet. He had never darted out of the couch faster.

She took a few wobbly steps, before eventually falling back on the soft carpet. Jongin had never seemed prouder in his entire life. Kyungsoo had to try to stop himself from crying happy tears – with how hectic their lives were, he was just so happy he had been here for this. So happy that they hadn’t missed it.

He just spent the entire evening hugging his baby girl as Jongin called at least five different family members to brag about Jia’s first steps.

And the next day, at the office, he bragged to anyone who would listen too. Which, as it turned out, were most of his employees. Really, they had no choice. He _was_ the Kim Jongin, after all.

“Isn’t her birthday coming up soon?” Sehun questioned later that day as they were sitting in Jongin’s office. Kyungsoo blinked, a little surprised that the model would remember.

“Yeah. In two weeks,” Jongin nodded, leaning back in his massive chair. There was a dazed smile on his lips. “Crazy, isn’t it?”

Sehun just raised his eyebrows, looking back to his magazine.

“We should throw a party,” Baekhyun suggested then, and Kyungsoo blinked again. What was going _on_?

“A party for a first birthday?” he asked, eyebrows arching higher by the second. “What’s the point?”

“The point is,” Baekhyun leaned back in the chair. “I get an excuse to get drunk, we all get cake, and the kid gets some sick toys. Sounds like a win-win for all of us, don’t you think?”

Kyungsoo turned to look at Jongin to only find his husband was already looking at him with a hint of a smile. He could already see it in his eyes, before he could even say anything.

“We should do that,” Jongin eventually ended up saying. “Maybe we can throw it at our place. You know. For family and friends.”

“Your place?” Sehun looked up from the magazine again. “I still haven’t been to your place. Baekhyun says you guys have a pool.”

“If you’re planning to turn my one-year old’s birthday into a frat party, think again.”

Sehun just made a face and returned to the magazine. Baekhyun let out a laugh.

Kyungsoo just reached out over the desk, catching Jongin’s hand. When his husband’s fingers rubbed against his skin, he felt a sigh leaving his chest.

Despite everything, despite some of the sassy or sharp remarks, despite the time flying by so quickly, despite everything changing so rapidly, Jia was loved. Deeply, fiercely, widely, she was loved by many.

And there was nothing else Kyungsoo could wish for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this update veeeery fast today, mostly because I just missed writing my fashion KaiSoo with their baby, so here it is~ It's a little uneventful, but it quenched my....writing thirst?   
> I'm in the middle of exams again, so I'm sorry updates are taking this long. I hope you can understand~
> 
> I'd love to hear what you think, let me know in the comments~


	4. Two

[M]

The tiny hand descended on the white paper. Paint splashed around them, little droplets of blue landing everywhere. Kyungsoo’s heart almost dropped as he watched the paint getting on the black cover he’d spread underneath them. Thank goodness he’d thought about that in advance. He didn’t want to have to change the rug _again_.

Jia’s laughter was sudden, ringing through the living room like the song of a thousand little bells. He looked down towards her again, and how she was excitedly clapping her paint-covered hands after examining the rather messy print she’d left on the paper.

“Blue!”

“That’s right,” Kyungsoo beamed. “Blue. Let’s draw the grass now.”

“Grass,” Jia repeated rather seriously, determination filling up her little face. Kyungsoo just looked on as she inspected the different colours. He tried not to wince when she rubbed her hands against the T-shirt before slamming them into the green paint. Then, a pair of big, wide eyes found his, and Jia released a bell-like chuckle again. “Daddy too!”

How could he say no?

His entire pants were covered in blue specks of paint already anyways.

He dipped a finger in the green paint and started smearing the paint at the bottom of the paper. Jia’s laughter was excited as she started dragging her hands across the paper. The green was getting mixed with blue.

“What’s this colour?”

“G’een!” Jia chirped confidently. Kyungsoo smiled proudly again, pushing the yellow paint towards her as a reward. His toddler’s squeal was excited as she forgot all about the grass and instead started concentrating on a rather rectangular-looking shape in the corner of the paper. “The sun!”

“Is she a little genius or what?” Kyungsoo threw a look over his shoulder as he heard Jongin’s warm voice before he sensed his presence behind himself. When Jongin ducked down to look at their handiwork, he let out a soft whistle under his breath. “Giving Picasso a run for his money, I see.”

Kyungsoo scoffed.

“Careful,” he warned, shooing Jongin back. “Don’t step on this. There’s paint everywhere.”

Jongin just raised an eyebrow and leaned even closer. He peered over Jia towards the paper and his eyebrows ticked. Kyungsoo followed his gaze.

Oh no. Jia had gotten her hands on the entire box while he wasn’t looking. No wonder she’d grown so quiet.

She was currently making a disturbingly bulky neon bright figure in the very centre of the paper.

“What is that?”

“Monggu!”

“ _Of course_ it’s Monggu,” Jongin pretended to let out an understanding sound. Kyungsoo almost laughed at the puzzled look flashing through his face. “Why is Monggu-“

“Ah, ah, ah!” Kyungsoo interrupted his husband. “We’re learning the colours. You stay quiet.”

Jongin just raised his eyebrows at him, before peering down at the paper again.

“What colour is Monggu?”

“Pink,” confidently screamed, followed by chuckles again. Pink Monggu was strangely starting to resemble a balloon.

“That’s magenta, princess,” Jongin leaned down to press a quick kiss to the back of Jia’s head at the same time Kyungsoo threw him a look of disbelief. Jongin had the audacity to shrug. “What? If we’re learning the colours let’s at least learn them properly.”

Kyungsoo just shook his head as he heard Jongin getting up again with a low grunt. He also felt his entire body freezing when Jia reached out to hold his arm and pull him closer to the paper. Now the Picasso painting had moved to his skin. Perfect.

He sighed, as he dipped his fingers in the magenta and tried to give some shape to the balloon that Monggu had turned in while Jia started terrorizing the sun with unnecessary red streaks.

“Have you heard back from Accounting about the photoshoot in Spain?” Kyungsoo asked absentmindedly. Jongin was sitting behind them on the couch, glasses now riding low on his nose as he spread out the mock-up. He shook his head, picking up the unforgiving pen.

“No. I let Junmyeon handle that. If we don’t have a confirmation by Friday, it’s through.”

“I see,” Kyungsoo sighed. He certainly hoped it wouldn’t fall through. He’d hate to throw out the article. Absentmindedly, he saw Jia reaching for the black can. With the speed of Flash, he yanked that away before she could get her little hands on it. “How about some orange?”

Jia took the bait and her little eyebrows narrowed in concentration as she focused on the different colours in front of her. Kyungsoo let her think about it.

“What about the Taeyeon feature?”

“All going according to plan,” was all Jongin said, before flipping a page of the mock-up. His lips pulled in a dissatisfied frown before he lowered the pen. His movements were sharp and even from here Kyungsoo could tell the page was now covered with a harsh cross.

Jia slammed her fingers in the orange paint. The traces they were leaving on the paper at this point were a questionable shade of dirty brown, all colours mixing together.

Kyungsoo resigned to his fate with a sigh when she pulled him again, some of that questionable brown getting on his cheek and shirt.

For a little while, it was quiet. Jia pulled up another white sheet of paper and before she could start slamming her fingers on it again, Kyungsoo drew her in closer and wiped the mixed paint off her skin with the wet wipes he had strategically placed at the side. His legs were starting to hurt from kneeling next to her for so long, but she was having so much _fun_. If anything, her little giggles gave him all the energy he needed to keep playing around.

Besides, she was learning all the colours, and she was doing great. He sneaked a hand to pat her little head gently as she concentrated on yet another pink Monggu. This one had a dramatic red background.

At some point of the game, Jia had decided that she quite liked Kyungsoo’s little protests when she grabbed him with her paint-covered fingers. At some point, she had decided that he was a better canvas than the paper.

It was all fun and games until a tiny hand slapped his face, his features twisting in a wince when the paint got in his mouth. Jongin’s chuckle was the most traitorous sound in the entire world, accompanied by the bells of Jia’s giggles.

“I’m glad you two are having fun. No ice cream for you tonight,” Kyungsoo moved his pointing finger from Jia to Jongin. He squinted at his husband. “And no _dessert_ for you either.”

Jongin’s laugh immediately seized and the smile evaporated from his face.

“What?! I’ve been waiting for _dessert_ for a week! That’s no fair.”

Kyungsoo used the back of his hand to wipe his lips.

“Want dessert!” Jia announced loudly, at the same time the doorbell rang.

“Oh no, baby, you don’t want dessert,” Kyungsoo mumbled, feeling a little mortified as he heard Jongin suppressing another deep chuckle. He watched him get up, heading for the door.

“ _Want_ _dessert_!” Jia insisted, the volume of her voice increasing. Not good. Kyungsoo almost sighed. One of these days he was going to get the shittiest parent award for making sex jokes around his toddler.

“We can make some cupcakes later, if you help Daddy clean all this, okay?”

“Jia helps!”

Kyungsoo threw a curious look towards the door, vaguely noting Jia getting up excitedly. How easily she forgot all about the colours and the paintings, now the only thing on her mind probably the reward-cupcakes she would get if she cleaned up.

Kyungsoo’s heart dropped in his chest the moment she shuffled off the black cover, walking all over the rug, holding the little can of red paint. She probably wanted to set it aside, to help him clean up. And yet, the real panic did not awaken until she headed for the little table by the couch, with the sprawled-out papers and Jongin’s glasses resting atop them.

That’s when alarms started ringing in his mind.

“Jia, _no_!” He moved urgently forward, almost tripping in his own leg as he flew across the room to reach the toddler before she would reach the mock-up. He managed to get hold of her before that red paint could get anywhere near the August issue of the magazine’s mock-up.

She dropped the can and it hit the rug with a soft thud. Kyungsoo just shut his eyes tightly at the sound, sighing into his baby’s neck as he held her close. He heard her laughter ringing right in his ear, and excited hands clapping together and against his arm, leaving more and more stains on his skin.

By the time he had leaned down to pick up the red paint, there was already a big stain on the white rug.

“We can’t have anything nice anymore, can we?” he mumbled to himself, the sigh slipping past his lips.

“Cuppy-cakes,” Jia demanded, unaware of the Greek tragedy playing out in Kyungsoo’s mind as he watched the stain getting bigger by the second. He didn’t even know what he was about to say, but Jia started squirming in his arms. Louder than before, with more excitement, she shouted, “G’amma!”

Kyungsoo’s head shot up just in time to see Jongin’s mother walking in from the hallway. Her eyes shot around the room, assessing the situation in a few seconds, before she let out a quiet chuckle. Jongin was following after her, carrying a rather large box with a small frown on his face.

“Now, now, what are you two doing here?”

 _Saving my husband from a breakdown without him even realizing_ , Kyungsoo thought bitterly, as he let out a sigh.

“We’ve ventured into exploring colours,” he explained, supporting a struggling Jia on his hip.

“We’ve also subscribed to Perigold’s newsletter, cause we need a new rug every week,” Jongin placed the large box on the sofa, giving his mom a look. “What is all this?”

“Oh, I was clearing around the house and I found all your old toys. Figured I’d bring them to Jia instead of throwing them all out.”

Kyungsoo smiled fondly, eyeing the box curiously. A piece of Jongin’s childhood. He’d worry later about where they’d fit all these toys along with the tons that Jia had already.

Their daughter, however, seemed to have understood the context of the sentence, in particular-

“Toys for Jia,” she laughed, moving in his arms again. “Toys!”

“Alright,” Kyungsoo’s grip on her tightened. “You’re not going anywhere until we get you cleaned up. Come on.”

Jia was squirming the entire time as he washed her hands under the running water of the sink. The sink was becoming a shade of dirty brown with all the washed off paint. Jia kept whining, throwing looks back to the carton full of toys, as if it would disappear if she didn’t get to it right away. Kyungsoo gave up with a sigh when she let out a threatening sob. When he deemed her hands clean enough, he let her go. She could not do any more damage to the rug anyways.

She flashed across the room towards Jongin and her grandma, beelining past both of them to reach the box. Jongin, however, caught her in the middle of her excited run and picked her up. Kyungsoo smirked as he washed his own hands, watching Jia give him the attitude as well, jutting out her lower lip and pointing towards the toys.

“Won’t you greet your grandma first? Say hi, or no toys.”

“Hi!”

“Hello, sunshine,” Jongin’s mother dismissed all with a wave. “Let the kid go. And fix your hair, will you? You look like you just got out of bed.”

It was always fascinating for Kyungsoo to see Jongin’s mother reprimanding her son like this sometimes. She was the only person in the world who could get away with commenting on, of all things, the way he looked. She would click her tongue when his hair was messy, and she would frown when she didn’t like the way he had tucked his shirt, even if it was the new trend in the industry.

“Kyungsoo, my boy!” Jongin’s mother looked towards him then, attention shifting entirely to him as she walked away from Jia and Jongin, both of them now busy with opening the large box and spilling all of its contents on the floor. “Oh, look at you. You’re so thin! Have you been eating well?”

Kyungsoo smiled, touching the woman’s hand when she cupped his cheek in worry. The motherly concern was always greatly appreciated and somewhat missed, especially since his own mother could not visit them as often.

“Of course,” he confirmed, jutting his chin towards Jia. “Been running around a lot after this one lately. She’s being exceptionally energetic for a two-year old.”

“I can _see_ that,” Jongin’s mother gazed down at his shirt, now with streaks of green, blue and red all over. Then, she leaned closer to him. A mysterious smile was pulling on her lips, like she was letting him in on a secret that only the two of them knew. “I came to pick up Jia today.”

“Today?” Kyungsoo blinked. “Today’s fine though. I thought you were going to pick her up tomorrow, we only have plans for the weekend, so-“

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” she dismissed him quickly. “I enjoy having her around in the house. Besides, you and Jongin could use one more day alone, no?”

Kyungsoo felt the heat travelling up his neck and cheeks. He had to blink away from Jongin’s mother. Her eyebrows were raising higher on her forehead.

“I-…I suppose,” he almost choked. Then, he shook his head. “No. No, no. Jongin needs to finish the mock-up today. He’s doing it on a Thursday because we have tomorrow off already. He can’t delay it any longer. And I need to-“ 

“He still hasn’t finished that damned thing?” the tone of the woman’s voice was borderline threatening again, the hint of disapproval dripping from her tone. She clicked her tongue. “This stupid boy. He will rot his entire life away slouched over this damn magazine.”

Kyungsoo smiled only out of courtesy. He appreciated the sentiment, really. But Jongin loved the magazine, and it meant so much to him. It was part of his life. Sometimes, he had to put it first. Sometimes he didn’t have a choice. Neither of them did.

“Just you wait,” Jongin’s mother concluded, hands twisting in front of her chest in determination. “You don’t worry about a single thing, my dear boy. I’ll go talk to him.”

Before Kyungsoo could stop her, she had stormed off, grabbing Jongin by his elbow and dragging him out of the room. Kyungsoo shook his head in defeat, walking forward to the ground where Jia was sitting, surrounded by old toys.

He sat down next to her.

“Daddy, look!”

He hummed, turning to look at the plush teddy bear she was holding. It was somewhat scrawny, the colours somehow faded. It didn’t seem as full as a teddy bear should be, it seemed worn and aged. As it was. He picked it up from Jia’s hands, eyes travelling over the aged fabric.

He was smiling without even realizing. In his mind, he could imagine Jongin. A little Jongin, as young as Jia was now, holding on to this teddy bear and smiling. He could imagine him snuggling the toy to sleep, holding it tight for days on end, leaving his mark on the toy.

“Do you like it?”

“Gimme!” Jia demanded, and Kyungsoo put the toy back in her tiny, outstretched arms. She seemed to hesitate a little, as she was also holding a blue ribbon she had picked up from the scattered items on the floor. She seemed confused, like she didn’t know what to play with first.

“Let me see that,” Kyungsoo said gently, hand running over his toddler’s head as he pulled the silky ribbon away from her hand. He wrapped it around the scrawny and worn teddy bear’s neck, wrapping it in a pretty ribbon at the front. Just like a bowtie.

Jia squealed in delight, hugging the toy tightly, and Kyungsoo’s heart swelled with love as he watched his daughter smiling and beaming brighter than the sun.

He shifted his head when he heard Jongin and his mother walking into the room again. Jongin seemed defeated, his mother was sporting a rather smug smile. Kyungsoo almost laughed out loud.

“Well, well,” Jongin breathed out as he ducked down. “What did you get there?”

“Dad! Look!” Jia shoved the bear in Jongin’s arms. “Daddy made it pretty!”

Jongin’s eyes flashed down to the toy, to the blue ribbon, then towards Kyungsoo, for a brief moment. He then grinned at Jia.

“Do you like it, princess?” Jia didn’t even reply, she just squealed again and reclaimed the toy from Jongin’s arms. He laughed quietly as she moved towards her grandma, ready to show off her newest possession.

Kyungsoo felt his body relaxing as Jongin moved closer to him on the floor, sitting beside him amidst all the scattered toys and paint cans.

“Did you know about this?”

“I had no idea,” Kyungsoo whispered back. “She cornered me. I told her you have the mock-up to finish!”

“Honestly,” Jongin let out a breathy laugh, and Kyungsoo just looked at his husband leaning back. He shifted his head the slightest bit to look back at him, his dark eyes shining. His smile was soft. “I should thank her one day.”

Kyungsoo’s heart swelled up at the curt sentence, joy filling him up and crashing inside him at the sight of Jongin’s loving and longing gaze.

He leaned down quickly, pressing his lips against his husband’s for a rather quick kiss. As much as he wanted to spend an eternity holding on to him, Jongin’s mother was here. Their _daughter_ was here.

Jongin’s hand found his on the soft white rug. His fingers intertwined with his, pulling him a little closer. His eyes were shining with mischief as he pressed another quick kiss to his lips, a playful smirk getting in the way. His breath tickled his skin when he leaned down to whisper in his ear.

“Guess there will be _some_ dessert tonight, after all.”

Kyungsoo was pretty sure his face was as red as the stain on the white rug.

* * *

Kyungsoo gripped the sheets harder, his back arching off the bed as Jongin hit his spot right again. He was starting to see white, throwing his head as Jongin pressed forward, the low moans rolling down his tongue filling the bedroom.

It had been so long. So goddamn long. Kyungsoo couldn’t get enough of Jongin. He reached forward blindly, fingers wrapping around Jongin’s bicep. His husband had a sultry look in his dark eyes as he peered down at him. Kyungsoo gasped when Jongin’s fingers dug into his thigh, pulling his leg a little higher, before pressing deeper inside him again.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Kyungsoo rasped before trapping his lower lip between his teeth. For a flash of a second, he saw Jongin smirking, before diving down. He tipped his chin back, letting his husband latch his lips to the soft skin of his neck.

He could feel Jongin’s muscles flexing underneath his fingertips with every move, he could feel his warmth surrounding him, engulfing him completely.

He felt like someone had set him on fire, every nerve ending in his body craving for Jongin. He pulled Jongin closer with his leg, still wrapped around his waist.

Jongin’s hand slid down his thigh then, and before Kyungsoo knew it, a loud gasp had filled the air around them. Jongin was pumping his leaking cock in rhythm with his deep thrusts, and Kyungsoo’s teeth just dug deeper into his lower lip. His vision was starting to blur.

“Come for me,” Jongin’s whisper was accompanied by a low grunt, voice hoarse and heavy. Kyungsoo shut his eyes closed when his husband nibbled at his skin. He could feel the muscles of his bicep budging every time he thrust inside him deeper and faster, supporting his weight over him.

It felt so _good_. It felt so _sweet_.

“ _Soo_ ,” Jongin whispered, and his lips brushed against his then, and Kyungsoo felt his husband’s hot breath. Like a suffocating man, he leaned forward, claiming the other’s kiss. Every soft moan and whine that bubbled in his chest, caused by the fire erupting inside him as Jongin’s fingers worked their magic, they disappeared in their kisses.

He felt Jongin’s muscles constricting underneath his touch. Jongin broke the kiss, letting out low curses, burying his face in the crook of Kyungsoo’s neck as he came inside him. His eyelids fluttered when Jongin resumed moving his hand over his shaft then, with more intent than before. He was so close. So goddamn close.

His lips pulled back in a low hiss when Jongin pulled out of him, he could feel the hot cum trailing down his skin. It took just another few pumps and Jongin’s lips locking with his in yet another kiss before he felt that coil in his stomach tightening. He spilled all over his husband’s fingers, eyes rolling back as the colours in his world erupted like fireworks and he felt the orgasm coursing through his body.

And then he felt so light, yet so heavy. He could not bring himself to move.

He felt Jongin’s weight as his husband laid beside him, trying to catch his breath. His heart was drumming in his chest so hard, and he had to take breathe out slowly. He felt like he was on cloud nine right now, his entire body tingling with pleasure and excitement. He couldn’t get off his high. He didn’t want to.

He could feel the sheen of sweat on his skin. He was supposed to feel gross, but really, all he could think about was how much he _loved_ this.

He turned his head to the side, and Jongin seemed to be in just about the same state as him – there was blurry bliss in his eyes, and his chest was moving up and down with the deep breaths he was taking. His lips were turned up into the smallest of smiles, somewhat dazed. Like he was not really here with him, like he was in some magical world.

Kyungsoo’s hand snaked closer to Jongin’s, fingers intertwining with his husband’s. Jongin moved then, looking at him with the all the love in the world mirrored on his face as their eyes met. They didn’t need to say anything. They just smiled gently, and Jongin was then scrambling closer, wrapping a hand around his body carefully. Kyungsoo almost hissed, his senses still on fire. Jongin’s palm resting on his waist made those fires stir again.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, and Kyungsoo smiled. He reached out, placing his hand on Jongin’s sweaty chest. He could feel his heart beating loudly underneath his fingertips.

“ _Of course_ you’re gonna say this when I’m all sweaty,” Kyungsoo sighed. He winced a little when he moved. “And when your cum is dripping out of my ass.”

Jongin’s chuckle was deep and eerie.

“I’ll have you know, you’re the _most_ beautiful when you’re sweaty with my cum dripping out of your ass.” 

He leaned down, pressing a quick peck to Kyungsoo’s forehead, before rolling back before Kyungsoo could smack him weakly. Kyungsoo watched Jongin getting up from the bed slowly, eyes not shying away from the beautiful sight of his husband’s naked body. He had to trap his lower lip between his teeth again, as he watched Jongin walking across the room to grab a fresh towel.

He was on his way back to the bed, when his beautiful features twisted into a pained grimace.

“ _Motherfu_ -“ a sudden curse left his lips, and Kyungsoo blinked quickly. He watched as Jongin leaned down to pick up something from the floor. Kyungsoo’s eyes shifted quickly to the yellow object in Jongin’s hand. The wooden triangle from Jia’s block shape toy. Jongin tossed it aside, wincing again when he stepped towards the bed. “Why is this even here? That _hurt_.” 

“Mmmh,” Kyungsoo hummed, opening his arms when the mattress dipped under Jongin’s weight again. When his husband took the hint and crawled over him, he wrapped them around his shoulders lazily. Jongin’s face was hovering over his now, his brown hair softly framing his face. His eyes were focused on him only. Kyungsoo’s fingers locked behind Jongin’s nape, and he just stared at him.

It had been so long since he’d been able to just look at his husband. To take a few minutes and just enjoy the fact that he was with him like this. The happiness was slowly filling up his chest all over again.

Jongin’s eyebrow shifted then, a playful smirk pulling on his lips as he smiled down at him.

“You want more?”

“You don’t?” Kyungsoo fired back, and Jongin just smiled a little wider.

Yet, neither of them moved for a few long moments. Kyungsoo was just holding Jongin tight, and his husband’s smile was becoming smaller. More sincere, more honest. He threw the towel towards the corner of the bed, and instead moved to push a lock of hair from Kyungsoo’s forehead. His fingers traced his lips.

Kyungsoo sighed, fingertips digging into Jongin’s shoulders.

“Do you ever miss this?” he asked, eyes shooting towards Jongin’s. His husband was looking at him already. “Just the two of us, together. Like this? Being reckless?”

It was a selfish question. They had a family now. They had Jia.

And he loved Jia more than anything else in the world. More than Jongin even. He could not regret having her, he never would.

Yet, in moments like this, he realized just how much he missed his husband. It didn’t matter than they slept in the same bed together every night, that they were together for most of the day. There was just a certain longing he was feeling, the longing to go back to the times when him and Jongin could just drop everything and do anything they wanted. To be with each other in every way they craved, to forget about all their responsibilities and just have fun. It was certainly harder to do that now.

He breathed out a sigh just when Jongin leaned down. He kissed him slowly, lips softly pressing against his as his fingers snaked behind his neck. It was a gentle and tender kiss, each second dedicated to breaking down the distance between them. To conveying all the unspoken words with the loving touch of swollen lips.

“I always miss you,” Jongin whispered against his skin and Kyungsoo’s grip on his shoulders tightened. “Even when I am with you.”

Kyungsoo felt the wildfires in his body erupting again when he pulled Jongin down again. He kissed him harder this time. He was infatuated by the sweet taste of Jongin’s tongue when need started giving way to what Kyungsoo really wanted. His leg moved to wrap around Jongin’s middle again, pulling his body closer to his.

Jongin seemed to catch the hint. When he looked at him, reason was starting to leave his face, giving way instead to the haze of lust all over again.

“You’re being too gentle,” Kyungsoo rasped, and Jongin’s lips parted to release a sharp breath. His eyes were becoming darker by the second. “Give it to me rough. I won’t break.”

Kyungsoo’s breath hitched, and the last thing he saw before Jongin dove down to kiss the life out of him was the spark in his eye and the smirk tugging on his lips.

* * *

“Bae’kyun!” Jia’s giggle broke through the silence in the office when she zoomed in. Kyungsoo was only a few steps behind her, a warm feeling spreading in his chest as he watched Baekhyun looking up from the files he was reviewing, sitting on Haechan’s desk like it was a chair. Kyungsoo’s mind flashed back to many years ago, when that had been his desk and Baekhyun had been sitting on it just like this. Some things never changed.

Baekhyun’s face lit up when he saw the toddler waddling towards him, gripping the sheet of paper in one arm and her scrawny teddy bear in the other.

“Jia drew Bae’kyun!” she exclaimed proudly, the excitement dripping from her voice as she wove the paper towards the art director.

“Here, send this over to Junmyeon,” Baekhyun quickly passed over the papers he had been holding on to Haechan, before turning towards Jia. He pushed himself off the desk and ducked down, getting on her eye level. “You drew me?”

“Drew Bae’kyun and Sehun!”

Kyungsoo left the articles he was carrying on Mark’s desk, giving Jongin’s first assistant a quick appreciative nod before turning to look at Baekhyun taking his daughter’s drawing. He seemed a little puzzled when he looked at it, but he quickly recovered his face, as he pulled Jia a little closer. His little girl giggled excitedly as she bumped into Baekhyun’s leg, the art director supporting her lightly as he held the colourful mess of paint in front of them.

“Me and Sehun?” he asked, throwing a quick look towards Jia. “Which one am I?”

Jia’s finger jabbed into the much smaller blob of orange paint, before hugging the teddy bear closer to her chest. Baekhyun narrowed his eyes a little, nudging Jia lightly.

“Hey! I’m taller than that.”

“Isn’t _that_ wishful thinking,” Kyungsoo mumbled from the side. Baekhyun, of course, heard that. He threw him a dirty glance, before returning his attention to Jia who was blabbering incoherently about her painting. She was pointing at the random shapes and loops, getting a little breathy as she was trying to explain what everything on the paper was. It truly made no sense, except for the colours she was now proudly listing, yet Kyungsoo found himself grinning rather proudly at her.

“Watch out boys,” Baekhyun ended up saying after a bit, scooping up Jia in his arms. “We might have the next art director here.”

Jia just giggled, sprawling out her little arms around Baekhyun in a semblance of a hug. The man just smiled fondly, cuddling her closer. He threw a confused and mostly curious look towards the worn toy in her arms, but didn’t say anything on the matter. Kyungsoo just raised his eyebrow at them, ready to give Baekhyun a lecture that was long overdue. For someone who supposedly didn’t want a child he sure didn’t act like it.

“Bae’kyun give Jia candy!”

“Oh, I see how it is,” Baekhyun laughed. “You give me a painting and I have to pay now? Of course. Let’s see what I have.” 

“Please, for the love of God, don’t give her any of your lollipops,” Kyungsoo said absentmindedly, before giving Baekhyun a harder look. Just in case he actually was planning on doing something dumb like that. “I don’t want my daughter choking.”

“Don’t worry,” Baekhyun’s reply was just as distracted, as he started digging in his blazer’s pocket with his free arm. “Bae’kyun can’t give Jia a lollipop cause Bae’kyun might have a breakdown later today because of Jia’s dad and he will desperately need it then.”

Kyungsoo squinted his eyes at the art director. They did have a run-through later today, and Jongin had not been in a particularly good mood after some issues with deliveries from Givenchy. Fair enough. Baekhyun would really need his lollipops later.

His gaze flashed up again when Baekhyun let out a small victorious sound. He had produced a block of chocolate from the depths of his blazer.

“Is this okay?” he asked Kyungsoo, trying to keep Jia’s prying little arms off the candy, until he’d get the green light. Kyungsoo sighed.

“Don’t give her too much,” he ended up agreeing. Then, he looked towards Haechan. “Where’s Jongin? I need his notes on the interview transcript.”

“He is in a meeting with the board until three,” Haechan replied quickly. “But they should be in his office, I can grab them-“

“It’s alright,” Kyungsoo smiled at the assistant. He threw one last look towards Baekhyun, who was breaking off a piece of chocolate for a very excited looking Jia.

Jongin’s office never changed. It was as wide and bright as always, the desk covered in articles, magazines and different accessories. There was order in this chaos, and somehow, Kyungsoo knew exactly where to look for what he needed.

He picked up the transcript with the sticky notes, storing it inside the folder he was carrying. He just needed to get the photocopies from Doyoung and then he could head back home and work on editing the article after putting Jia to sleep.

He was about to turn on his heel and stop the chocolate feast in the office, when his eyes caught sight of something on Jongin’s desk.

Right in the middle, just beside the list of designers that were to be featured in the next magazine volume, he saw the colourful spreadsheets of a catalogue. He recognized the Gucci print immediately, yet those were items he had not seen yet. No article had come in through his department about that, which was odd, considering he was running the fashion editorial content.

He pulled the paper forward, fingers running over the designs. They traced the outline, eyes shooting over the designs and the scare information that was on top of the paper. _Gucci capsule collection, in collaboration with Kim Jongin_.

He felt a pang in his chest then, and the warmth came flooding his body at once. His fingers brushed over the recurring design on every piece, a shape so familiar he could not stop himself from letting out a little sigh – a little teddy bear with the familiar blue ribbon wrapped around its neck. Just like a bow tie.

A loving smile was stretching his lips as he brushed his fingers over the designs one last time, happiness filling up his entire body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. Not very Jia-related but I /HAD/ to write something after the Kai x Gucci news T^T And there's that haha
> 
> Let me know what you think, comments are always greatly appreciated~ 
> 
> Until next time! xox


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